No Time? No Excuse.

One of the main excuses cited for not exercising is lack of time.

For many people, juggling a job, a family, and other obligations big and small makes it necessary to cut corners from time to time.

And more often than not, exercise is one of the components that gets squeezed out in the throes of a time crunch.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Of course, any amount of exercise is better than none at all, and small changes throughout your day can add up to meaningful health benefits.

There are things you can do to infuse more physical activity into each day, even if most of your waking hours are spent behind a desk. After all, even if your job is sedentary, you don’t have to be.

Start out first thing in the morning making healthy, active choices. These can be as simple as choosing a parking spot farther from the office building than usual. Once inside, skip the elevator and take the stairs, two at a time for a little extra burn.

Forgo e-mail and walk down the hall to chat with a co-worker, stand as much as possible instead of staying glued to your desk chair, and take a brisk stroll at lunchtime to get your blood pumping.

While the importance of a daily exercise routine for overall fitness and general health can’t be underestimated, it’s comforting to know you can salvage even your busiest day.

The Mayo Clinic offers these tips to stay active on your own time: