by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com

An hour of basketball feels like 15 minutes. An hour on a treadmill feels like a weekend in traffic school.
-- David Walters

Exercise is so psychological, it's amazing.  I don't even like to call it exercise.  The word sounds too serious -- too much like work!  When speaking at workshops and coaching my clients, I encourage them to call it something else.  Call it sports time, fun time, etc .  For more ideas, see Monday's Action Step for the Week, "Get More Motion Into Your Life."

The saying "time flies when you're having fun" really is true. When exercise is fun, not only does it go by in a flash, but you have better strength and stamina. What can you do to make exercise FUN?

Here are some ideas:

• bring along music when you go for a walk or a jog
• go to a tennis court with a friend and hit a ball around
• hit a tennis ball against a wall
• shoot some hoops at the playground
• take a bike ride
• rent a canoe or kayak and paddle around for a while
• go for a hike
• go for a swim, or just splash around in the water
• watch an iPod video while using a treadmill or exercise bike

What will you do to make exercise fun? There are endless possibilities, especially with summer in full swing.

And by the way, this works for lots of things. My daughter observed today that even Saturday morning chores can be fun when we chat or listen to music while we're doing them. As you go about your day, continually ask yourself: "how can I make this more fun?"