Motivation encompasses internal and external factors and drives us to take action towards achieving a goal. In physical activity, motivation is crucial for starting and maintaining routines and continuing to be persistent and put in effort. To maintain motivation to move, set clear, achievable goals, track your progress to help you see results. Vary your activities, keep them enjoyable and find a friend to be active with to help keep you accountable.
Getting Started
- If are new to being active or haven't been active for a while start slowly, find your baseline and set yourself a clear, achievable goal.
- Plan when you are are going to be active. Decide what you will do, how long it will take and when and add it to your calender with a reminder.
- Record your steps and activities on your Dashboard and review your Step Statistics to see your progress over time, this will help you to stay on track.
- Look at the time spent doing physical activity in perspective. Being active for 30 minutes a day takes up only 2% of your time within a day.
Staying Motivated
- Ask friends and family to be active with you and make it a regular occurrence, you can even add them online as Friends to keep track of each others progress.
- Join a Heart Foundation Walking Group in your community.
- Listen to music! Find an upbeat (or relaxing) playlist to help put a spring in your step and inspire you to keep moving.
- Find activities that you enjoy and that fit into your schedule! You are more likely to be active if you enjoy how you are being active (and who you are being active with!).
- If it is raining, choose a different activity that you can do indoors like an online home work out, if it is hot or too cold then walk when the temperature or light is best.
- If you are feeling unwell or tired, choose a gentle activity and opt for something more intense on a day that you are feeling your best.
- Change up your normal routine and include some different activities to incorporate variety.
Keeping up Momentum
- Progress can be measured in many ways such as how many days you reach your step goal, your mood, sleep and energy level.
- Revise your step and physical activity goals to ensure they are still achievable and them as your physical activity level changes.
- Reward yourself at set time points for the effort that you have been investing in being active with a healthy or enjoyable gift to yourself! This might be a new pair of runners, activity tracker or a healthy meal out.
- If you fall out of routine with regular walks or exercise, that is okay! Just start again and get on track the next day.
- By incorporating activity into your everyday life, it will become a habit and you will make active choices without even realising!
Walking Your Dog
Physical activity is good for you and good for your dog. Think of walking your dog as an opportunity for you both to be physically active. It will improve your dog's health as well as your own!
First Steps to Better Health
The goal of the 10,000 Steps program is to help you include more movement as part of your everyday life. If you haven't been active for a while, now is the time to start by incorporating more activity in simple ways each day.
Being Active at Home
Taking opportunities to move more in and around your house each day is an easy way to boost your daily step count. Being active in and around your home is convenient, free and comfortable. Find out more on how to be active at home!