Cleaning as a Workout – How to make the most of it!
Home cleaning is one of the most time-consuming chores that you have to take care of. It is undeniable that it requires a great deal of effort and hours just to finish the most urgent tasks. This is normal, because if you want to be effective at it, you need to devote time and effort.
Often times it feels like cleaning is a task that does not have a finish line. Once you are done with one room, you immediately have to move on to the next one. This should not be a problem if you enjoy a good exercise, and there is no reason to hate it really. It is through physical activity that you can feel less stressed and energetic. The problem is that when you are too busy cleaning your home, you won’t have as much time for a workout.
The alternative would be to transform your cleaning service in such a way that it will resemble a workout. It really is not that difficult as you may think, considering that cleaning is a physical activity which requires a lot of movement. Here is what you should consider to make the idea a reality:
- Put on fast music in the background – music has the potential to make you feel way more energetic and alive. Consider the fact that all gyms have music in the background; this is no coincidence, because it can really help a person with their physical exercise. This is why you should definitely implement music in your household cleaning routine. You have to make sure you play not just any type of music though, but rather some dynamic tunes that will really make you want to move and clean around. You will notice that time passes faster and it is easier for you to concentrate on the task at hand. Additionally music will keep you entertained and energised throughout the work so that you feel less tired, even as you do more.
- Pick up the pace – cleaning as a workout will obviously not be that effective if you are too calm, slow and steady about it. If you truly wish your cleaning service to matter and to burn some calories, you have to pick up your pace. Don’t just stroll around your home with a duster and a vacuum cleaner; instead move around like you are in a hurry and try to finish a task quicker than you normally would. At the same time you should try not to sacrifice the quality of the work, or else you will be stuck doing the very same home cleaning chores all over again very soon.
- Work against a timer – set a time for your home cleaning chores and try to beat the time. Here is where you will need to challenge yourself in order to be truly effective about the work and for it to really matter. You can consider giving yourself a few minutes for window cleaning, or 10 minutes to perform proper carpet cleaning. That ought to make your home cleaning a lot more difficult but at the same more rewarding in terms of physical exercise and calories burned.
- Include weights in your cleaning – it is true that cleaning is already a difficult task, but you can make it way more challenging by adding some wrist and ankle weights. This should be executed with caution, as it can be truly challenging. The extra weight will make movement more difficult, pretty much the same way you exercise with weights in the gym. The only difference is you will be busy with dusting and vacuum cleaning and not lifting weights alone. See to it that you are comfortable and stop for a rest if you feel too tired.
- Take regular breaks – remember that any workout activity requires frequent breaks. When you finish a certain cleaning task, or part of it, you should take a break so that your body can rest and prepare for the next set of cleaning.
Follow these tips and you can truly transform your cleaning into a workout session. Be careful with it and you will be able to enjoy an activity that is both good for your home and for your body as well.