…and this is great news as it gives us so many opportunities for adding movement to our lives. I hope you like the following suggestions and look forward to your great ideas for fitting in exercise to our daily routines.

Cardio: walk or ride your bike on errands, take a five minutes walk for a break, park at the far edge of the parking lot, walk like you are late, take to stairs – find stairs to take

Resistance: Do the plank or jumping jacks in your office or while watching TV or waiting for the coffee to brew. Lift weights while the shower gets warm, get a resistance band and do arm exercises while on the phone

Flexibility: Do these while waiting for the bus, in line, in your office, waiting for coffee or shower, watching your kid’s sport event, talking on the phone

Neuromotor: Play catch with your kid or yourself, do a tree of life pose while waiting, pick up objects while standing on one foot

Sock Stand. Barefoot, stand on your right foot. Bending your left knee, lift your left foot and put on a sock without sitting or using any other support…then, left foot still lifted, remove the sock. Repeat several times, trying not to touch your left foot to the ground, and then switch legs. As you improve: Try putting on, tying and then removing a shoe as you stand on one leg. If you’re a beginner: Just practice standing on one leg for 20 to 30 seconds, then rest and repeat several times…then switch legs.

Chair Squat. Stand in front of a sturdy chair, facing outward, and hold your arms straight out in front of you. Slowly bend your knees and stick your rear end out, lowering yourself toward the chair as if about to sit. Allow your rear end to touch the chair seat only very lightly—without resting—then slowly rise to standing again. Repeat. This activity builds strength as well as balance.

Paper Towel Tube Pickup. Place the empty cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels on the floor about 12 inches in front of you. Stand on your right foot, lifting your left foot out behind you. Carefully lean forward, bending your right knee…reach down to pick up the roll…then stand up straight. Repeat several times without touching your left foot to the ground, then switch legs. As you improve: Use a smaller object, such as a pencil, instead of the paper towel tube. If you’re a beginner: Standing on your right foot, lift your left foot slightly. With the toes of the left foot, touch the floor in front of you…then touch the floor to your left side…then touch the floor behind you. Repeat several times, then switch legs.

Ball Toss. Sit or stand and toss a tennis ball repeatedly back and forth from one hand to the other. As you improve: Toss the ball higher…hold your hands farther apart…use a larger, heavier ball (such as a softball)…and/or stand on one leg while you toss. Try not to drop the ball!