I'm gonna say that 75% of people I talk to about exercise tell me they don't have time. I have patients constantly telling me that they don't have to do their home exercises. I have friends telling me they don't have time to workout.
I promise you. You can find time if you want to. And if you don't want to, that's okay too. When life is really really busy, it is okay to put exercise on the backburner. Just try to pick it back up eventually.
I know that you can make time. Because I have. I was in school full time, working 20 hours a week, president of the powerlifting team, working out 4 days a week, and sleeping 7-8 hours pretty much every night. I'm basically a pro at making it work. So I can help you.
Here's some tips:
You can multi-task: Watch your latest binge show and exercise. This will especially if you find yourself binge watching tv without doing anything else multiple times during the week. Watch the show and get a workout in. Now you feel productive while still getting the work done. Multi-tasking can also take away your guilt of feeling like you should be doing something else. You can workout and get things done in between sets. I used to review flashcards for my classes on my phone between sets. Now I usually respond to emails or write content. I also listen to podcasts so I feel like I'm learning something while working out.
Schedule it: On whatever you use to plan your week, schedule in your workouts. You are much more likely to do them if you write it down. Block off the time you need to commute there/back, change, and get the workout done. That way you won't feel rushed. Prepare the night before: if you are already packed or have the clothes laid out, that saves you time. It also pushes you in the direction of working out. I also keep back up clothes in my car. If you can't find time to workout, saving time will benefit you. Do short bursts: Even if its 10 minutes, it is better than nothing. That means 10 minutes in the middle of your work day can help. It might not be a super intense workout in this situation, but again, better than nothing when you are busy. For higher intensity in a short time, try incorporating metcons. For more info on metcons, check out this post. Wake up earlier: Waking up a little bit earlier (and going to bed earlier) adds more time to your daylight hours which will make you more likely to get it done. If you can tolerate working out first thing in the morning, those extra moments will make working out easier to get done. Pick a convenient gym: If possible, pick a gym that is in the area that work or attend school. If it is on your way home, you're going to have a hard time passing it up and it saves you commute time.
Or, if you have the equipment/ability, workout at home. This one has been helpful for me. I used to commute 40 minutes one way to the gym. Now I walk down the hall.
Most importantly, find exercise that you enjoy and that resonates with you. If you hate it, don't value it, you're never going to do it. If you don't value your exercise time, you are never going to want to make time for it.
💙 Kate
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