It’s easy to blame busy lives. If your boss expects long hours – or
you run your own business, or you’re a stay-at-home parent – it can feel
like there really is no time at all in your day for exercise.
However busy you are, exercise is important. It
isn’t just a way to cut your risk of future health problems – it also
gives you more energy on a day-to-day basis, and will help you feel on
top of things in a hectic life.
Here’s how to find time to exercise — without letting busyness stop you.
Step 1: Don’t Fixate on the Gym
Some people equate “exercise” with hour-long gym sessions, or
organized team sports. You don’t need an expensive, complicated or
time-consuming routine, though, in order to get the health benefits of
exercise.
If you’re too busy to get to the gym, try a brisk 20 minute
walk in your lunch hour and a few stretches in front of the TV during
commercial breaks.
If possible, have a more active commute: if your workplace is fairly
close by, ask yourself if you could you walk or cycle instead of
driving?
Do it: Look at your typical daily schedule, and find
a way to get at least 20 minutes of exercise. You might find this
easiest if you break it into two 10 minute sessions.
Step 2: Make Exercise a Priority
Even if you don’t consciously prioritize your tasks, you almost
certainly have a sense of what’s important and what’s not. When you’re
busy, you can’t handle absolutely everything that comes your way – you
need to decide what truly matters.
Exercise does matter, even if it feels like a luxury (or an unnecessary chore!) If you tell yourself that exercise is a priority for you, you’ll find it easier to make time for it.
One good way to do this is to get active, at least for a few minutes,
first thing in the morning – even if that makes setting your alarm ten
minutes earlier.
Do it: Write down at least three reasons why
exercise matters to you. Now, look for a way to make exercise a priority
in your life. (Remember, this doesn’t have to mean long gym sessions –
it could simply mean doing 10 minutes of yoga every morning.)
Step 3: Track Your Progress
It’s very easy to start off an exercise program with great intentions
… only to let things slide after a couple of weeks. You’ve probably
noticed how busy gyms get during January – yet most of those new faces
disappear by February.
One good way to stick with your plans is to keep a record of the exercise that you do.
This could be as simple as putting a check mark on the calendar for
each day that you successfully do 20 minutes or more of exercise.
If you want something more involved, you could keep an exercise log
in a little notebook or spreadsheet, recording what you did at each
session, and for how long.
Do it: Decide on a way to track your progress:
something that will work well for you. This could involve being
accountable to friends, if you want – a great way to boost your
motivation. Don’t make your tracking system so complex that you put off
using it, though.
And there you have it: three steps to better health and more energy.
If you’re truly so busy that you can’t find 20 minutes a day
to exercise, look for ways to cut back on some of your other
commitments. Can you make a point of taking a proper break at
lunchtime, instead of working at your desk with a sandwich? Could you
get your partner and kids to help out more around the house, so you’re
not spending so much time on chores?
I’ll leave you with a quote that always helps motivate me…
“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley
Do you have any great tips for exercising, even when you’re busy? Let us know in the comments!
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