The Secret Hustler Lifestyle

Hustle!

stairsThat’s the (buzz)word I like to think about when it comes to how I go about my day. Now I don’t mean hustling in the lewd sense. I mean it in an active lifestyle sense.

In a regular work day, I – like many of us – sit at a desk in an office building for 8 hours. We just weren’t constructed to do this. I make a point each (work) day to:

  • park far away from the office entrance,
  • get up from my desk several times and walk around the building,
  • get up from my desk ever hour or so and walk around our workspace,
  • always use the stairs, not the elevators
  • in the warmer weather, at lunch, go for a walk down the street, and
  • in cooler weather, at lunch, go for a brisk walk (several laps) around the parking lot.

All of my body thanks me for doing these simple things. We just weren’t designed to sit at a desk all day. Our chairs aren’t always the best, and let’s not forget to mention our posture. And… how many of us computer users have had to add ergonomic devices like mouse pads with wrist guards (me) or keyboard wrist guard protectors? If this kind of activity was intended for our physique, we’d wouldn’t need these things in my humble opinion.

walkfast

With all that in mind, hustling refers to how I go about doing those things. Walking itself is extremely good for the body. It gets almost the entire core engaged on some level. But hustling, or walking briskly, is better. Some examples:

  • Instead of leisurely strolling down the hall at work, I walk briskly and with purpose. Yep, you better get out of my way. (Don’t worry, I haven’t run anyone over yet!)
  • Instead of a lunch hour jaunt around the parking lot, I quickly walk several laps and get my heart rate up. This energizes me and brings some focus into the early afternoon, which can be difficult.
  • Instead of taking my time at the grocery store (or any store), I zip through the aisles, mission minded to acquire what I need quickly. I also do not mind at all if I have to walk around the store several times. I’ve actually organized the store aisle in my iPhone’s grocery app to take me on a medium-long route through the store.

Hustling – or introducing mini-exercise throughout a routine office day, increases my activity, gets my heart rate up a bit in the middle of the day, increases my endorphin levels, productivity, and clarity of thought. It also earns me more Nikefuel.

Consciously do this for several weeks, and it will cease to become something you’re trying to do, but a habit, and eventually, part of your healthier lifestyle.

Now get hustling!.