10 minutes might not seem like a lot of time but consider just what can happen in 600 seconds. That’s enough time for someone to cook up a quick meal, clean up a room or do a number of other things. It’s enough time to get your heart rate up and burn a quick hundred calories too.

You will be hard pressed to find a more beneficial way to kill ten minutes’ time. By improving your days with some calisthenics, you can increase circulation, raise blood flow and get your heart working just a little harder. This is the key to keeping in shape when you don’t have much time.

Do a Lot with a Little

Before anyone else can holler at you or get you worrying about other things, take the first few minutes of the day for yourself. Stretch out long and hard until your joints crack then slip to the right, or left, out of bed and onto your feet. This is the tough part because you need to exercise now even if your body doesn’t feel like it. Start with some leg lifts, a little jogging around the room, anything to work those stiff limbs and limber up.

It’s still only been a couple minutes and already your heart should be pumping, sending oxygenated blood all throughout your body. There’s still plenty of time to work the arms too. A popular routine is to extend each arm out and roll the two limbs in steadily growing circles.

Exercise over Lunch

The middle of the day is another good time to get some exercise done. It might cut into your lunch or other free time but then whose time would you exercise on, anyhow? This is ill advised if you had a large meal but if you kept things small and simple, some jumping jacks or other physical activity after eating will help you to digest that food and get the most out of it.

For most people, this noonish workout is the best choice because the morning is too early and the evening is too late. If you have nothing else, some clapping, hearty laughing and other actions all count as exercise. With just a few minutes and only things available on hand, you can get enough exercise to make a difference.

Before Bedtime

It isn’t the most popular time to exercise but doing your routine right before bed has its benefits. First, you’re probably already tired by the end of the day – that little extra push should burn up any energy still floating around in your bloodstream and get you ready for a good sleep.

Second, the likelihood of being interrupted in the middle of the night is very low. You have significantly less competition for your time from outside sources. It isn’t all good though, getting all hot and sweaty before lying down to sleep is just begging for a change of sheets.

Also, if you weren’t already tired, exercising right before bed could have a bad effect and keep you awake longer. It’s a little risky but if you can’t find 10 minutes any other time, the end of the day is it.