Can’t seem to find the time to workout? too busy, tired, not motivated or just don’t know where to start? This ‘Finding time to exercise’ post will help put you on the right track.
There are many reasons why people struggle to find time to exercise. It could be down to bad time management, being scared to fail, so you don’t try, lack of motivation, too busy (normally an excuse), being too tired and many more. It is always easy to say no to a workout and come up with excuses, we all make them. The problem arises when we either never start or just keep putting it off forever.
The reality is when you sit down and look at your day and how much time you have wasted, you’d be surprised how much you actually do waste! Ask yourself, how long have you spent on the internet today and how much time have you spent watching TV this week? People will always look for the path of least resistance, the path that is easier to do and when it comes to doing something you enjoy or don’t or something that takes effort and that which doesn’t, guess which path most people will take? sound familiar?
One of the biggest excuses for not doing a workout, is that of being tired. If you follow a regular exercise and nutritional plan it can help boost your health and energy levels. Being inactive is a catch 22 situation, where you lack energy, leaving you in a vicious circle. As you progress in your journey to better health you will get fitter and stronger and so be less likely to get tired, so long as you workout properly and eat well.
Now think about how much time you could end up spending with ill health now or in later life due to your inactive lifestyle. Spending a few hours per week exercising now could potentially save you many more hours per week lost due to ill health later. Think about it as investing time in yourself, just like you invest (wasting) time on other things that will mean nothing for your future.
Before I get on with the rest of this post, I’d like to just say I fully understand why the above happens and so it’s here that I would also like to direct you to my post on Being human and the healthy lifestyle.
With that, I’d like to now get back to the rest of this post.
Why you should be more physically active
The human body isn’t designed for our modern sedentary lifestyle, it loses its ability to stay healthy and maintain weight. Many of the health benefits include, less stress, healthy body, organ, mood, more energy, fitter can do more, lower blood pressure, weight control (fat lose), stronger, balance and coordination, flexibility, brain help and much more. You can read more about the Effects of exercise on the body here.
Being unfit when you are much older will affect your lifestyle and time in ill health and even give you a shorter life. Not to mention you may spend more money on health treatments and medication.
What you can do to find time to exercise
Exercise doesn’t have to be a difficult task, start with a simple short workout and get the ball rolling. It doesn’t have to be a marathon, just get more physically active, you don’t need hours of working out time per week.
The following are some methods and tips to help you in finding time to exercise:
- If you really can’t dedicate 30-45 minutes of your time on a good regular workout routine, then split your workouts into smaller slots of 5-10 minute workouts sessions doing them 5-6 days per week instead.
- If you can find a little more time, then a 15-20 minute workout 3-4 times per week is enough for most.
- Mums and dads can go for a walk with your pram, get out with the kids and be active, such as going swimming, playing in the park or how about getting yourself and the kids playing a Wii exercise game?
- Again if you are an at home mum/dad get a friend in a similar position to baby sit and you return the favour. Allowing you both time to workout in peace.
- If you take the kids to school, prepare a run/jog after you drop them off (assuming you have walked there).
- Still can’t fit a regular workout in? get an early morning workout before everyone else gets up. Some gyms open early if it is too cold/wet to go for a run or you can’t make any noise in the house. (but don’t compromised on the amount of quality sleep you get).
- If you find it difficult to stay on track, then you need to prioritise, manage and plan your time better. Make a daily to do list and split your day up and schedule your time and work out when you are best able to do the tasks and activities you need to do in your daily life.
- Prep for your workout, get dressed in your workout gear…..this alone can prepare your mind for your workout, as you have already taken the time to get dressed for it. I have felt on a number of ocassions like not having a workout, but starting the process got me going and I have had some of my best workouts from these situations.
- Get a workout partner. Therefore you can be accountable to each other and encourage each other. Maybe involve friends and family for encouragement and dedication. You could also be competitive with someone, it’s a great motivator.
- If you’re at work get a workout going at lunch time, take a break from the desk regularly as well if you sit in an office. However, remember for intense sweaty workouts you will need to allow time to change and shower.
- If you are able, why not consider riding a bike to work.
- If you can’t get to the gym, try using resistance bands, adjustable dumbbells, home exercise machines or even your stairs to create a good workout. Working out at home saves time and money travelling to a gym.
- If you travel a lot, setup a workout plan you can do almost anywhere, such as bodyweight exercises and furniture exercises.
- Whenever you go out, try walking briskly to increase your heart rate and use this as a workout session.
- Make housework an exercise, do it quicker and more vigorously.
- Wash the car more often, do the gardening. Impress your friends and neighbours how clean and tidy your house is and all the while being more physically active and healthy.
- Make exercise a part of your everyday activities, stand don’t sit, walk instead of driving, don’t watch the TV ads, get up and walk about.
- If you find exercise boring, find exercises or active activities you can enjoy. Be creative or try a sport.
- Still want to watch your favourite TV show or read a book?, use a stationery exercise machine at the same time.
- Reset the tired button by thinking positive and actually start a workout. Often you feel tired, but in reality you have more energy than you realised once you get going. When you workout you produce feel good hormones which can make you feel good as well.
- If eating the right type of food at the right time is difficult, prepare your food in batches and have pack lunches.
- Stop listening to lazy negative people. You will just feed off each other and never do anything worthwhile.
- Get motivated (see my Motivation post).
Finally
The reality is we waste so much of our time and it often comes down to simply changing our mind set and the way we think about how we use our time. Do something, even if it’s something small. 10 minutes of physical activity is better than none, 10 minutes! I mean really you can’t spare 10 minutes?
