I recently read a lifehacker article that gave a 20-minute daily exercise plan and was aimed at people too busy to work out.

I just had to laugh.

Why didn’t I think of this before? Just work out 20 minutes a day. It’s so simple!

The fact is, “too busy” is just an excuse. If working out is a priority for you and you don’t have the time, just wake up 30 minutes earlier. It’s really that simple.

Here’s the real reason why people can’t find the time to exercise: exercising blows.

I used to feel bad about not working out, so I would start a daily running routine, but it would never stick.

Yeah, I used to work out. I remember that . . day.

After failing to establish a workout routine so many times, I no longer feel bad about it. I’ve learned to embrace it. I hate exercising, so I’m not going to do it.

Now I just make an effort to be a little more active throughout the day than I normally would.

Here are some examples:

• Using an office restroom that’s farther away
• Taking the stairs down and/or up
• Walking laps around the office during a break
• Stretching when you wake up
• Taking a leisurely bike ride
• Having sex
• Playing a sport

Yeah, if you want to get into great shape, this won’t cut it. You’ll need a more rigorous routine.

But you might not want to get into great shape. Maybe you hate exercising as much as I do. If you’re just looking to shed some pounds, these small activities will go a long way. As long as they’re done consistently and you combine them with better eating, you’ll be surprised how much they’ll help.