While it's important to fit exercise into your daily schedule, allowing the body to rest with some easy workouts is a good idea for eliminating the possibility of fatigue and lingering soreness from more intense exercising. Waking up each day to engage in a 15-mile run might sound like a great way to keep fit, but even the most dedicated exercisers need a break. The following workouts are a great way to keep active on a day when you're not feeling up to a punishing workout and would rather take it easy.

It's true a water workout can really test your level of fitness, but the swimming pool can also be used for more innocent games and exercise that aren't so focused on a difficult training regimen. Playing water polo can be a nice diversion if you've got a few exercise partners who would like to put some fun into their workout. Taking the kids to a neighborhood pool can also provide a bit of fun that doubles as exercise.

Bringing friends to the pool can greatly increase the level of your workout without making it seem like you're actually working out. Despite the low-impact feel of water, most activities in the pool do provide a nice level of aerobic activity.

While your heart rate might not reach aerobic levels, simply going for a walk around the block can be a refreshing way to get your blood pumping. Instead of hitting the couch all day, consider taking a walk to a nearby coffee house if you live in a city, or look into walking around your neighborhood with friends if your home is in a large residential area.

If the weather would otherwise keep you inside or if your home is very remote, you can also use a mall as a site for a walk. Making a habit of walking across the length of the mall to each store you want to visit can allow you to walk a good two or three miles over the course of an afternoon spent window shopping.

As an exercise that's easier on your joints than a run on a treadmill or a jog outside, jumping on the elliptical machine at your local gym can provide a nice, easy workout when you'd like do something low-impact. Since an elliptical machine can be set on a variety of resistances, lowering the intensity of the elliptical can create an easy workout that will get your heart pumping just enough to get those endorphins flowing.

Common in many modern households is a console gaming system and the appearance of exercise themed games for these systems is exploding in popularity. While some of these games can really get your heart pumping, they're generally a fun way to fit a bit of exercise into your day without ever leaving the comfort of your home. Even better is that these games can be used as entertainment during a get-together with friends or as a way to get your family active.