Dictionary.com’s Ways To Exercise When You Hate The Gym

Exercising judgment

There’s a work happy hour this Thursday (just like every Thursday . . . which you know because you attend every week). But, it’s also your mom’s birthday. The weekly happy hour promises jello shots and a good round of shuffleboard. Score! But then again, your mom did give you life. Plus, her birthday is only once a year. It’s time to make a judgment call.

Exercising (good) judgment is decision-making 101. Once you’ve strengthened your judgment muscles, you’ll gain “the ability to judge, make a decision, or form an opinion objectively, authoritatively, and wisely, especially in matters affecting action; good sense; discretion.” And, with a notion as old as the 1300s (when the word originated), good sense and good judgment are something you’ll want to tone up this year.

Exercising responsibility

It’s the first of the month and all your bills are due. Electric, cable, rent, you name it. But, those boots you’ve been eyeing are also on sale. You want to buy them but you need to pay your bills so as to not, you know, lose your apartment. But . . . those boots are cute. Time to start exercising (fiscal) responsibility.

Taking responsibility for something means you are holding yourself accountable for your actions, no matter how good or bad the action may be. To begin this exercise, start by not making excuses and by acknowledging no one is in charge of your life (or paying your rent) but you. 

Exercising compassion

Your friend’s girlfriend dumped him. Again. Sure, you’ve seen him upset about this girl before (many times), and you have told him (many times) that she’s not good for him, but he’s still your friend and needs your support. Hope you practiced those compassion exercises this week because it’s time to whip ’em out.

Exercising compassion allows you to sympathize with others. This might mean you have compassion for those who are sick or out of work, but it can also refer to having a sense of love for those around you . . . no matter how different they are or what they are going through. How can you tone up? Start by acknowledging a person’s issue and responding in a positive and genuine way.

Exercising generosity

A co-worker forgets her lunch at work and has nothing to eat . . . and no time to run out to buy something. You, on the other hand, are fully prepared with a nicely-stacked sandwich . . .  and you can’t wait to dig into. However, when you see how frazzled your coworker is (and how hungry), you wonder if you really need both halves of your sandwich after all.

Exercising generosity usually only takes a simple act of kindness. You can be generous with your time by lending an ear, with your money by buying someone’s lunch, or with what you have by giving someone half of your sandwich. With so many generous options, you can try a new exercise every day . . . so as not to get bored of the same old routine.

Exercising honesty

It’s Friday night, and you’re exhausted from the week. You have plans to go out with your friends, but all you really want to do is stay home in your PJs. Do you tell your friends the truth and risk them getting mad or make up a little white lie to avoid any guilt? Well, exercising this motto may help you avoid the headache: honesty is the best policy.Exercising honesty may be hard when white lies are just so easy, but by performing this challenging activity you are actively showing morality—which means you know the difference between right and wrong—good for you!

Exercising courage

You’ve been at your job for three years, and you want to talk to your boss about a raise. You know you’re a good employee, and you could really use the extra cash, but you’re scared of what your boss might say. This is the time to power through and exercise that courage.

Exercising courage may help you tackle something that truly scares you. But, this can cause exciting opportunities to open up. It’s all about motivation and determination. Buckle up though, it may be a wild ride outside of that comfort zone.

Exercising patience

It’s five o’clock, and you’re stuck in rush-hour traffic. You’re tired, angry, and just want to be home. If there’s ever a good time to strengthen your patience muscles, this is it.

Exercising patience really is a virtue, and it’s not always easy to achieve. When things don’t go as planned, it’s hard to stay calm, but try taking a breath (or five) before you respond with an overly aggressive outburst that does more harm than good.(You know who really needs to tone up those patience abs? Millennials. Check out our list of Millennial Allergies for more ways to beef up if you’re from this complex generation.)

Exercising forgiveness

The love of your life broke your heart. You’re hurt, but you’re also furious. Your friends say you need to forgive and forget. You say, there’s no way you can forgive someone who crushed you.

Exercising forgiveness may seem like something you shouldn’t be asked to do, especially when someone breaks up with you! However, being the bigger person allows you to not only feel superior but also to let go and move forward from your troubled and tainted past.

HuffPost even says: yes, you are hurt by the person who did you wrong but you are “grateful for what they have taught you” because it allowed you to grow. That’s the high road all right.

Exercising self-control

Netflix just released their newest dramedy . . . and it is getting all the ratings. You know it will be there after work, but you can’t resist plowing through the 10-episode series now (yes, it’s 7am, but no time is a bad time for binge-watching, right?) Wrong. You have to go to work because it’s Thursday, a typical day of the work week. So, what’s a TV lover like yourself to do? Turn on the will-power machine and start working up a sweat of self-control.

Exercising self-control not only helps you (no, you will not eat that entire carton of cookie-dough ice cream) but those around you, too (no, you will not judge a person for having a different opinion from you).

Entrepreneur.com adds it’s important to set goals for yourself to learn self-control, such as determining “who you are and what you are about” . . . meaning, you aren’t a slouch who skips out on work to watch Netflix all day. That’s what you do on your weekends.