Jacob Sager Weinstein

So I've experimented.

I found that running is a sport that I generally enjoy, but even so, it's effort, and it's not always easy for me to stick with it.

So as silly as it sounds, I found that if I take my running clothes out at night and I put them...

where I'm going to see them first thing in the morning and just automatically put them on when I'm sleepy and not thinking clearly, then just the fact that I've got those running clothes on makes me much more likely to go running.

And in a sense, what I've done is I've made each step smaller.

I don't have to decide to go running, find my clothes, get going.

I've made as many of those steps mindless and automatic.

I just get in the habit of putting out my running clothes in the morning.

And it shouldn't make a difference.

The health benefits of exercise should get me going every day.

But as silly as it sounds, just the habit of already being dressed for running makes a huge difference.

One thing that I think is a useful distinction is between physical activity and exercise.

And we think about exercise, like we've been saying, as this unpleasant thing that you've got to do if you don't want to die.

But the fact is, if I spend 10 minutes running dutifully in circles, or I spend 10 minutes chasing my dog around the yard...

Those are equally good for my body.

My body doesn't really care why I'm doing them.

But the one that doesn't feel like exercise, the one that is just doing stuff, the chasing the dog, I actually enjoy, and it's just as good for me.

So the more you can find ways to think in terms of physical activity.

So for example, when you park, if you drive to work, take the farthest parking space from your office rather than looking for the closest.

And automatically, you've now built in a few extra minutes of walking into your day.