In a survey by CCS Insight, one-third of people who purchase wearable devices stop using them within the first six months. But a wearable isn’t just about the immediate feedback. Here are some tips to stay motivated in the short term and reasons to stick to your wearable for the long term.
Tips to Stay Motivated in the Short Term
A wearable tracks your movement all day long, every day you wear it. After using your wearable for a couple of months, you probably began to notice some days are much more active than others. You may be imagining the progress you could have made by now if only you had stuck to your daily goals. If you feel inconsistent in your daily activity, here are a couple of tips to stay motivated and make every day count.
- Stay Motivated with a Fitness Partner
Wearables give you the ability to track your own results as well as share them with your partner through mobile apps. A lot of people want to get in shape, but not everyone sticks with their goals. A fitness partner brings accountability to your life, both mentally and physically. When you’re having an off day, your partner still relies on you to hold true to your course of action. They will help make every day count. Your fitness partner helps you push past your current limitations. Iron sharpens iron.
- Stay Motivated by a Future Event
Find a significant future event that makes every day accountable. 90 days is a great short term goal. Having an end in sight makes each day more meaningful. When you have an end date, you can’t keep putting things off until tomorrow. Some examples of future events are marathons, high-school reunions, family vacations, weddings, birthdays…any date that is important and memorable to you!
Reasons to Track for the Long Term
We encourage you to use your wearable over the years. It can help you track important health components, like daily movement, heart rate, cardiovascular health and sleep patterns. Bi-annual preventative visits are important, but they come seldom. Wearables give us the amazing ability to track our health every day. If a concern arises, you can talk with your primary care physician early.
- Track Your Movement
It’s 7pm. You’re already home and have your feet up for the day. You look down at your wearable to realize you’ve only walked 3,000 steps. How does that make you feel?
Let’s put it in perspective. 3,000 steps is only about 1.5 miles, or 30 minutes of walking. People who walk between 1,000 to 3,000 steps per day live a sedentary lifestyle.
A wearable will help remind you to get moving during those times you would otherwise be sitting.
“Before I had my wearable, I considered myself a really healthy person. I ate nutritious, healthy foods, took vitamins and scheduled my preventive doctor visits. My wearable helped me realize how much time I spent sitting throughout the day. I am now making changes to become a more active person. I joined my local gym and try to reach 10,000 steps per day.” Tony Gendvilas, Chief Benefits Officer, Aliat
- Track Your Cardiovascular Health
Regular exercise promotes a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. When you work out consistently, your heart gets stronger and doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood through the body. This results in a healthier heart rate and improved bodily function.
- Track Your Sleep Patterns
Wearables can track your sleep patterns through the night by monitoring your heart rate. They provide data that reports periods of uninterrupted sleep vs. times of restlessness.
Do you get overly tired in the middle of the day? Most people will attribute fatigue to a lack of sleep, but few people attribute fatigue to a lack of exercise. Did you know exercise actually produces energy in the body? It’s true! Before you up your caffeine intake, try adding an hour of exercise and an hour of sleep to your daily routine. We challenge you to try this for one week and see how much better you feel! We bet your wearable results will improve too.
“I never realize how much my sleep schedule affected my sleep patterns. Now that I have my wearable, I set both a bed time and a morning alarm. I may not follow it perfectly, but when I am consistent, my wearable app shows a deeper sleep with little restlessness. I feel refreshed and have more energy.” Hayley Dent, Digital Marketing Specialist, Aliat
Talk with us and find out how wearable devices can kick-start your company’s wellness program.