The Absolute Best Stress Reliever

BySnowden McFall

The #1 Stress Reliever: Fun Exercise

Smiling dancersWe all know exercise is important, and truly all the research points to exercise as the best panacea for relieving stress, extending life, removing toxins from your body, and preventing serious diseases like obesity and diabetes. The key to sticking with exercise is to make it fun and find a way to squeeze it into your day.

For my husband and me, the big three are salsa dancing, bicycling, and yoga. And when we don’t have time for anything else, walking for 15 minutes will do.

Key Takeaways

  • Exercise is one of the most consistently supported stress relievers, and it works best when it is genuinely enjoyable rather than a chore.
  • Small, repeatable habits, stairs, parking farther away, standing up hourly, add up more reliably than occasional big workouts.
  • A busy stretch doesn’t have to mean skipping movement entirely: a short morning video, a lunchtime walk, or an early class can all fit.
  • Planning meals ahead reduces the odds of stress eating when the day gets hectic.

How to Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Day

I recently started a short-term consulting project that takes most of my day, and it means my healthy habits have been pushed aside for meetings and more. I’ve been trying to incorporate more exercise into these busy days, and here’s what I have learned so far:

  • Take the stairs whenever possible.
  • Park far away from the entrance to increase your walking.
  • Get up every hour from sitting (sitting too long is so bad for you).
  • Go to bed earlier and do an exercise video before work; often it is 20 minutes of yoga.
  • Take a long walk at lunchtime.
  • Find an exercise class at lunch or early morning.

(And if I plan ahead and take a healthy lunch to work, I am less likely to eat the wrong things.)

What do you do to sneak exercise into your life? I would love to hear from you, please share any suggestions you may have. Email them to me at orders@firedupnow.com, and with your permission, I will share them in future posts.

These habits connect to the Recovery element of the Leadership Resilience System: the physical restoration that sustains performance under pressure. Explore the Leadership Resilience Hub for more, or reach out directly through our contact page.

©2013, 2026, Snowden McFall. All Rights Reserved. No duplication or reprinting without permission and author reference.

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