You don't have to jump right into the deep end. Just start with a short, 5-minute a day, 3 times a week and work your way up from there. It might not sound like enough, but trust me, if you're starting at zero minutes zero times a week, that's plenty. Add one minute to your workout every week until you reach 20min a day. It’ll take about 3 months, but it will help you get used to it without overwhelming you. 

If you're gonna do it, do it right. Prioritize quality over quantity and do just one resistance exercise with proper form for about five minutes a day. That’s it. It will still trigger fat burning and muscle creation, because you’re still able to generate enough intensity to break down muscle fibers and have enough time afterward to let them recover (which is when the fibers rebuild stronger and denser). Tim Ferris discussed this in his book "The 4-hour Body". I’ve experienced this for myself and can vouch for it. It works! Just make sure you're really focusing on doing the exercise correctly and with energy.

Create the optimal routine for yourself, depending on what your priorities are. Select exercises that work your entire body in just one movement, like squats. Or make sure the movements you're doing work the parts of your body you'd like to focus on. If you're focusing on weight loss, running for hours on the elliptical won't do you much good, but shorter bouts of strength training will boost your metabolism and give you the desired results. Do your research and know what each exercise does for you.

The term "return on investment", or ROI, refers to how much of a result you'll get on the money, time, and resources you invest. The same idea applies in the world of fitness. Low-ROI workouts (like running on a treadmill) deplete your willpower and energy without helping you get much slimmer or fitter. In order to keep your moral high, you need to feel like what you're doing provides more benefit than cost, otherwise you'll give up. If you're exercising for weight loss, the most important thing is your diet, so click here for more detailed help with finding the ideal diet for you. 

You're not gonna know what kind of exercise you prefer, until you've got a few different kinds under your belt. Test different gym workouts, sports, classes and dances until you find the one that works for you. As for me, I get bored doing reps in the gym. I prefer to get my exercise through fun activities like hiking, rock-climbing and slacklining. You might prefer to run alone while listening to a podcast or you perhaps you'd rather socialize while playing a team sport. It’s all about knowing who you are and what you prefer. That’s the only way you’ll stick to whatever exercise you choose. Give each one at least 30 days before you give up on it. And most importantly, don’t force yourself to do something you hate! There are so many thousands of different activities you could be doing instead. 

Keep improving your workout and making it a little harder each time, or you will plateau (or worse - get bored and quit). Once you figure out what kind of workout you love, commit to slowly and steadily moving toward your goals to get better, faster, or stronger — whichever outcome means the most to you. Keep it fresh and interesting. Keep it challenging. It doesn’t have to take longer to be harder. Just add some extra weight, balance with less support, or come up with new ways to make it fun!

Commit to paying yourself a little something every time you complete a work out. Don’t spend that money until you've completed 30 days of exercise (they don't have to be consecutive either). This programs your brain to associate workouts with rewards. It works wonders, if you’re a "moving towards" kind of person in terms of your motivation, which means you are better motivated to do things when you are moving towards getting a reward.

Accountability is key when starting any fitness regime! You can use a fitness app, hire a coach or involve a friend. Just make sure at least one person knows what you’re supposed to be doing and when, so they can ask you if you’ve done it and make sure you don’t give up or get lazy. You could set a specific time and day to workout with someone you know. When you know someone’s waiting for you there you’ll be more likely to show up, so you don't stand them up and disappoint them. You could post a status update on social media, telling your followers you're going to work out today and then post a picture of yourself doing it to prove it. Or maybe tell your spouse or roommate (this only works if you live together) you'll give them $5 if you don’t do your workouts on the day you say you will. This technique works best if you’re a "moving away" kind of person in terms of your motivation,which means you're better motivated to do things when you're moving away from getting a punishment rather than when you're moving towards getting a reward.

This is like accountability, but no one else is involved. Decide on a goal and write down. For example, “This week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I will get up at 6am and run for 5kms before work.” Set an appointment for it in your calendar and make sure nothing gets in the way of it, just like you would a work appointment. Make sure this goal is a SMART goal or you might end up sabotaging yourself. Click here, for more detailed help on setting SMART goals. 

Being prepared to start your workout on a moment's notice means you'll be more likely to squeeze it into those random free hours that pop up in the day. Pack a gym bag with all the things you'll need (gear, clothes, appropriate footwear, water, music player etc.) and stash one in your car, one in your locker at work, one near the door to your house and any other place you usually find yourself with some spare time. This will make sure you have no excuse not to go when the time arises. Set yourself up for success!

Every time you drop something, bend to pick it up with proper form (squatting movement). When you lift a heavy box onto a high shelf, make sure you do it right (pressing movement). Feel your muscles contract. Using proper form when you perform these activities not only makes them easier on your body long-term, but also improves your core and upper body strength and squeezes just a little more exercise into your day without adding too much time.

Don't wanna leave your couch? Not to worry! Google "quickie workouts you can do in bed or on the couch" and do them while you watch TV. Instead of counting the sets/reps, just keep doing them until you feel the burn... and then do 3 more. Easy exercises to do while lying down are: butt-lifts, leg spinners, supermans, peddlers, scissors, sit ups, push-ups, frog lifts, bridges, planks and more!

Quickie workouts can be done anywhere, not just on the couch! Challenge yourself to do a Daily 100 (20 reps of 5 different exercises – even if they aren’t consecutive) whenever you have a spare moment. Easy and discrete exercises you can do anywhere are easy to find online. You can do butt squeezes while in the queue with your groceries, stomach crunchers in the car while driving, heel raises in an elevator or while waiting in line at the bank, and floor presses (using your feet) when sitting in a meeting. You're limited only by your imagination!

When you need to be on the phone for work or whenever someone calls, go for a walk as you talk. Make it a rule that any time you need to make a phone call, walk as you talk! Even if it’s just pacing around the office for a short 5-minute call. Long conference calls are ideal for walks in the park.

Keep a workout journal. Write it down every time you work out. Every time you were supposed to workout but didn’t, write down why. It helps you see how paper-thin your excuses are sometimes. It will also help you see how many times a week you’re actually exercising. If you can look back and see you’ve only done one workout out of the three you were gonna do this week and it’s Sunday, it might motivate you to squeeze one in before Monday.

If getting up earlier is the only way you’ll find time to workout, start by setting aside that time. Before even thinking about adding the workout to your day, just make it a habit of waking up at the time you’d like to. Catch up with some housework or homework, or even watch TV. Just make sure to wake up and get out of bed on time. Once getting up earlier is a habit, doing your workout during that free time will be a no-brainer.

Don’t let "perfect" get in the way of "good enough". You don’t have to do anything like a pro. If you get tired after five minutes of running, walk the rest of the way until you’re ready to start running again. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail to meet a goal. Practise doesn't make perfect. No one is ever perfect. You’ll get better with time, so enjoy the progress you make along the way. As long as you’re moving and don’t give up, praise yourself for it. An all-or-nothing mentality helps no one.

If you've hitched a ride with someone, have them drop you off 5 miles from home instead of at your doorstep. Or if you utilize public transport, get off a stop before your regular one and walk or run the rest of the way. You'd be surprised how many things you just don't notice about your neighborhood when you're driving. This not only allows you to get some exercise, but also to get to know your surrounding area better. 

I know it's tempting to hire other people to do the dirty work for you, but it's so rewarding when you do it yourself. Not only will you save money (both the money you used to hire them with and the money you would have paid to a gym), but it will also give you some time to workout, think and clear your head. Housework can be very meditative, if done mindfully. Your house will look great and you’ll feel better too!

If all else fails, just remember:

• Take the stairs, instead of the elevator or escalator. 
• Park your vehicle further away from your work or the store entrance. 
• Walk to places that are less than 5km away.
• After sitting at a computer for an hour, get up and do something active. Walk up some stairs, do bodyweight squats, stretch your muscles or do some situps. Just make sure to move in some capacity.

Try out these tips and if you’re still finding this advice hard to implement, ask for help in the comments below, send me a message, or book a FREE breakthrough session to see how I can help you through Skype.

You can find more Happiness Strategy videos on my YouTube channel, so subscribe to make sure you never miss an episode! I come out with a new one every single Sunday.

Until next time, remember: Happiness doesn’t require energy. It requires Strategy.