Winter Exercise Ideas to Motivate the Busy Nurse

Want to help ease the nursing shortage? Take care of yourself!

People who exercise consistently enjoy greater energy, better ability to handle stress, more positive attitudes, and sharper minds. When you’re strong and fit you’re less likely to incur a career-limiting injury. What’s more, you’ll have healthier arteries.Vigorous exercise boosts blood levels of HDL by up to 20 percent and can decrease triglycerides by as much as 40 percent by converting them into fatty acids for energy. Still not convinced? Exercise strengthens the immune system of a busy nurse. Regular exercise can cut your sick days roughly in half.

But are these reasons enough to get you out of bed to exercise on cold, dark winter mornings? Probably not. For true and lasting motivation, you need to identify your “why.” Wanting to lose weight, drop a size, or feel healthier are common reasons to start exercising, but what’s behind them? What’s important to you? What do you value in life? By answering these questions, you will begin to see how a regular exercise program can help you attain your deeper goals.

Here are a few nurses' health tips for getting back into workout mode:

Choose exercise that appeals to you. If you hate to sweat, try indoor swimming. If you enjoy team sports, find a group that meets regularly to play. You can enjoy skiing to!

Make a plan and stick to it. Build in variation so you won’t get bored.

Set small but well-defined goals: two weeks of a regimen may seem overwhelming, but 10 minutes of anything is doable.

Get outdoors if you can. Remember that feeling when you were a child playing in the snow? Also, reading or watching TV while exercising reduces the power, intensity, and effectiveness of your workout.

Recruit a friend to provide support (and keep you from backing out!).

Once you’re on track:

Set your PDA or calendar program to remind you when it’s time to exercise, so you won’t skip it because you’re distracted.

Focus on process rather than outcome: you won’t attain your ideal overnight (or even in a month).

Look for small improvements (it’s easier to lift things, you sleep better and have more stamina) in six to eight weeks.

Make your own music mix: music and exercise both stimulate endorphins. If it’s not fun, why do it?

Reward yourself with a new toy (heart rate monitor, new shoes) for reaching larger goals, such as being able to handle more weight, go greater distance, make better time.

Think about someone or something that makes you mad and put that aggression into your nurse exercise.