Your Life >> Browse Articles >> Offbeat

Your Life >> Browse Articles >> Work-Life Balance

Daylight Saving Time: 5 Ways to Reap the Benefits

Featured Author:

Tania Khadder

Tania is a writer, editor, blogger, and TV enthusiast. She likes indie rock, good food, vodka gimlets, and living in San Francisco. She also likes dancing, but of course, not to indie rock. Tania has a BA in Anthropology from UCLA, and an MA in International Journalism from City University in London. She's also co-founder of the blog Unemploymentality. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with friends and family, obsessively surfing the web, or much to everyone’s annoyance, doing both simultaneously. Check out her latest blog, Lipstick & Lemonade. Add her to your Excelle network!

More articles from this author:

• Do Chinese Moms Raise the Best Kids?
• 10 Ways to Get Unfriended on Facebook
• 5 Friends You Should Have at Work

It’s just around the corner. And no, I’m not talking about the season premiere of Glee.

On March 14th, Daylight Saving Time (DST) will begin once again.

Time to set your clocks forward and kiss winter — and its depressing 4:30pm sunsets — goodbye. Don’t pretend like you’re going to miss it.

The practice, also known as “spring forward,” is not without controversy.

Its impact on energy conservation — one of the key benefits touted by supporters — is still inconclusive. Some argue that the time change disrupts sleep patterns. Others say it’s unnecessary, and part of a capitalist agenda to trick consumers into spending more money after work.

And then there are those who just hate losing an hour of sleep on that fateful Sunday morning.

Like it or not, DST is here to stay (at least for now). You might as well make it work for you. Here’s how.

1) Change your workout routine
All of a sudden, you’ve got a good two to three hours of daylight after work. Freeze your gym membership for a few months and start an outdoor workout regimen. Run, bike, or join a local kickball team. Even if you love the treadmill, exercising outside is fun and beneficial. First, you get a dose of fresh air and some scenery (sure beats all that sweat and spandex). Second, it’s free. And finally, it’s an opportunity to soak up some much-needed Vitamin D.

2) A new kind of commute
If you’re lucky enough to live close to your office, leave the car in the garage and walk or cycle to work. It’s warm enough, it’s safer than in the winter months, and it’ll get your blood flowing before that morning meeting. Remember what I said about changing up your workout routine? Do this and you may not need one at all. Bonus: You’ll save money on gas.