One of the biggest challenges to get moving is to find the time since we’re always go, go, go. It can be very hard to make the time and make taking care of yourself a priority. One thing I remind myself is that if I don’t make the time to take care of my health, I will have no choice but to make the time to take care of my lack of health. Even if you are lucky not to suffer any conditions directly related to being overweight, anything that happens is likely going to take longer to heal if you’re unhealthy. Making small windows of time to get in some workouts can really save you in the long run.
Parkinson’s Law explains that work will expand to fill the time available. This means that it is critical to establish boundaries with your time. I’m terrible at leaving work consistently on time, but I know that if I do not, I will have to either sacrifice time at home with my wife and dogs, I will sacrifice the time working out or I will get less sleep; out of these 4 things, I have to remember that work (above and beyond my normal shift) is not the priority.
1. Start with small workouts
Getting in 20 minutes is plenty of time to get your heart rate up and is enough to make progress and feel like you’ve accomplished something. This might not be doable every day, but this is why I am challenging you to find time to fit it in at least 4 days a week.
2. Be creative with your timing windows
It’s not easy to get there, but if you can adjust the time you get up and fit in a workout before work, that’s the surest way it won’t be bumped later due to a lack of time or lack of energy. It’s also a great way to make sure you’re starting the day on the right foot by putting yourself first. I started with evenings, but a few years ago started adding the AM’s and it was a great change. Can you fit something at lunch? If you keep it light, this is a time slot you may be able to use for a short walk. If you’re lucky enough to work at a place with a fitness center, this is absolutely something you should do.
3. Align it with other activities if you need to
My morning workouts are done on the way to work, the gym is where I get ready for work so it’s become part of my routine. If it’s better for you to workout after work, you may consider working out on the way home, it’s a lot easier to get that motivation while you’re already out, than if you’re comfortable at home. After my evening workouts, I go directly into my nighttime routine so I am taking advantage of habit stacking in that regard as well.
4. Weekends can work too
Saturday tends to be my rest Day, but that also makes it a flex day, if I miss something on a prior day, I can generally fit it in Saturday morning. I reserve Sundays for my longer activities so I try not to add anything there, but they are certain options if that works best with your schedule. In the meantime, it may be easier to stick to work days, but don’t rule these out.
Experiment and find some time slots that work for you, as time goes on, you’ll likely feel better and it’ll be easier to find more time when you need it for longer workouts or new activities. I’ve been gradually building up my time finding more slots that work for me. Being interested in Triathlon means 3 sports plus strength training, each of which need their time slots to stay fresh.