Faced with the burden of ever-increasing work hours and work encroaching on personal time, Americans are finding it a huge challenge to focus on their health and fitness. How can anyone find the time for exercise or eating healthily?
Yet it can be done. Some people are finding clever ways to squeeze fitness into their daily lives, showing plenty of ingenuity in their pursuit of that elusive work-life balance.
Work and life out of balance
The traditional nine-to-five workday has evolved into a fluid and often demanding schedule. Remote work, although it gives us flexibility, has blurred the lines between personal and work time. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends more than 34 hours a week working, but that doesn't include all the hours spent replying to emails or attending virtual meetings outside of core work hours.
As well as that, keeping up our family and social lives means it's hard to find time for self-care. Parents have to juggle school drop-offs, extracurricular activities and household chores, while others have to wrestle with long commutes or take on several jobs just to make ends meet. It’s no wonder that for many of us, fitness has to be sacrificed.
The rise of micro fitness
Despite this, Americans are coming up with neat ways to stay active. In fact, fitness popularity in the US remains strong. Take micro-workouts – these are short, intense bursts of exercise that can be done in as little as five to 15 minutes. They are often based on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and can be done at home with very little equipment, which means if you don't have a lot of time, you can fit a quick workout into a gap between meetings or while dinner is cooking.
Fitness apps and online platforms have also changed the way people approach exercise. Apps such as Peloton, FitOn and Nike Training Club give you guided workouts that can be done at any time, so you can fit them into a busy schedule. Some platforms include game elements that encourage people to pursue their fitness goals through fun challenges.
The rise of remote working brought on by the pandemic has led to a boom in home gym setups. Resistance bands, dumbbells and compact exercise machines are now common in American households, because having equipment readily available makes it easier to incorporate fitness into your daily life, whether it’s a quick set of squats during a lunch break or a treadmill walk while catching up on your emails.
Employers can always do more
The business world is finally understanding how important the wellbeing of staff is, and some companies are stepping up their game, offering gym memberships, virtual fitness classes and access to mental health resources as part of their working regime. Some have even set up their own gyms so staff can get active in between meetings.
Flexible work policies also matter. If you give employees the power to change up their daily routine, you don't need to lose any productivity. Some employees may want to start their day early and take a long lunch to hit the gym, while others may opt for an afternoon workout, so making room for this flexibility is a great way to boost the health and satisfaction levels of a workforce.
Going social for a fitness boost
The social aspect of fitness can't be overlooked. Group fitness, whether it’s a local yoga class, a weekend hike with friends or a just-for-fun sports league, gives people the motivation to stick to their fitness goals. Fitness communities, online and offline, have bloomed in recent years, and at the same time, community programs like free outdoor fitness classes, park runs and bike shares make physical activity easier to get into. Cities across the United States are spending on new infrastructure to promote active lifestyles, such as building bike lanes, improving walking paths and opening public fitness zones.
What we eat is who we are
While exercise is always crucial, it’s just as important for your health to make sure that you eat right. Meal prepping has become a popular strategy for busy Americans who want to eat healthier. By just putting in a few hours each week to make meals in advance, we can avoid the temptations of fast food and make sure we have healthy options available.
Apps like MyFitnessPal and Yummly are also useful, helping users to make meal plans, keep up with their calories and find new healthy recipes, while meal delivery services such as Blue Apron and HelloFresh offer pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes that save time and encourage home cooking.
Tearing down fitness barriers
Despite all of these new resources, there are still lots of barriers to those seeking to improve their fitness. For low-income families, the cost of gym memberships, equipment or healthy food can just be too much, while some individuals face physical limitations or health conditions that make the traditional forms of exercise difficult, if not impossible.
To take on these problems, some groups are laying on free fitness programs, discounted gym memberships and health-focused schemes like community gardens, all of which can make healthy living more accessible. Employers and politicians can also help shape a new culture in which everyone has the chance to live healthily.
Mental health and fitness: a symbiotic connection
Mental health and physical fitness are linked. Exercise isn't just a way to keep up your physical health – it's also a handy way to control stress and improve your mood and your mental wellbeing. Yoga, meditation and mindful walking are all great ways in which people can improve their focus and cut down on anxiety, which is a huge problem in the stressful modern workplace.
Employers have also started to grasp the value of holistic wellness programs that incorporate mental health initiatives. Providing access to counseling services, stress management workshops and mindfulness training can significantly enhance an individual’s ability to balance work, life and fitness. Local support groups and online mental health platforms are helping people connect and share strategies for managing stress while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A look ahead: fitness in the 2030s
As work-life demands evolve, so will the ways Americans approach fitness. Advances in technology, a growing awareness of mental health and a stronger focus on wellness will shape the future of fitness in the United States, and wearable fitness trackers, virtual reality workouts and coaching apps are just the start.
Family-focused fitness activities may also become more popular. From parent-child yoga classes to family-friendly obstacle courses, these help families bond and get active together, while workplace health schemes that mix physical activity with mental health support can make a contribution.
To get the right balance between health and the growing demands of work in the 21st century, we need a blend of individual effort, community support and bigger social changes. It's a big task. But, by becoming more flexible, using the latest tech and working to develop a culture that rates health as highly as study and work, Americans can put their wellbeing first despite the challenges of modern life.
