Too busy to exercise? If you are here, you are probably a parent or someone who runs a business or two, homeschools the kids and probably has a kitchen sink full of dishes and a mountain of laundry in the living room.
Or perhaps you completed all that you had to do today, but now you’re lying down, reading this post, too exhausted to put on your gym clothes and start exercising. Don’t worry, nobody is judging. I’ll tell you this: you are not alone. Because, well… I’ve been there, too.
We all know the importance of working out and staying fit. Not only does exercising help you stay in shape and lower your risk of some diseases like diabetes and obesity, but it also gives you more energy to match your busy schedule and be able to keep up with the kids too. Not to mention, it’s good for your mental health and improves your overall mood.
The key to staying physically fit on a busy schedule is to start making exercise a priority. Just like how you prioritise your business and your family time. As they say, you need to fit your own oxygen mask before you can help others. (Do check my post on how to fight tiredness)
Exercising does not have to be a chore or a time-consuming activity. It can be something achievable and fun. Something you can easily sneak into your busy schedule.
In this post, I’ll share 8 ways to fit exercise into your crazy busy schedule.
#1 - Manage your time more efficiently
Sit down and map out how your day looks like. From the time you wake up in the morning until you go to bed. What do you most spend time on?
If you spend too much time checking on your inbox and replying to people, for example, limit checking your emails only once or twice a day.
If you spend too much time cooking and preparing meals, do bulk prepping.
Scrolling through social media and watching TV is also something that might be taking some of your time. Think to yourself, can you do without them? What takes priority, your health or sharing toddler memes with your friends?
#2 - Set workout reminders on your phone
Before exercise becomes second nature to you, don’t rely on reminders from your memory.
Trust me. You will need more than that.
Make sure you set reminders on your calendar and your phone. Set a reminder in the early morning for jogging. Or an alarm in the afternoon for running on the spot.
If you can’t respond well to phone reminders, maybe get someone you trust to be your personal reminder. It’ll help you to be more accountable.
#3 - Literary run your errands
Need to get some groceries? Don’t take the car. Jog to the supermarket.
Need to use the dryer on the first floor? Don’t use the elevator. Use the stairs.
If you can make your daily errand a workout, that’ll be a huge bonus. Especially if you run those errands almost daily.
#4 - Get your workout done in the morning
I’m sure when you wake up in the morning your day starts like crazy. You’re making breakfast and getting your kids ready for school at the same time. It then follows by answering business emails and filling in that excel spreadsheet.
Maybe waking up an hour earlier might help when things haven’t ‘started’ yet. You can go ahead and throw in 30 minutes worth of exercise before it gets busy.
Exercising in the morning can also help you get it out of the way. You don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day.
Morning workouts also have its perks. It can boost your energy level, alertness and increase your productivity throughout the day.
This might need a little bit of effort and motivation at first, but once you get used to it you’ll be able to witness a noticeable positive effect on your health.
#5 - Split your exercise into smaller workouts
Half an hour of high active workout might seem like a lot, especially if you haven’t exercised for a while.
Yet if you spread that out to 10 minutes throughout the day it will be less overwhelming.
You can brisk walk 10 minutes before breakfast. 10 minutes running up and down the stairs at lunchtime. And 10 minutes cycling in the afternoon.
#6 - Kill two birds with one stone
Do your children keep you from exercising? Then include them in the activity. Play chase in the yard. Or get them to join you in your workout session (this can be so much fun for them).
If you have a teenager, maybe you can join them in their basketball game or invite them to jog. You’re spending time with them AND staying fit AND encouraging them to do the same!
#7 - Master a positive mindset
Don’t exercise because you have to, but because you want to. You choose to exercise because you deserve this. You deserve to be able to take care of your body.
Just as much as you need to sleep well and eat well, exercise is a form of self-care.
When you switch this mindset, it’ll become much less of a burden on your mind and you’ll be more motivated to workout daily.
I can help you with your fitness goals
If you still need a little bit of guidance on fitting exercise into your busy schedule, I am here to help!
If you’re new here, welcome to my blog and thank you for visiting! I am Suz Baxter. And I’m a veteran holistic coach with over 17 years of experience in health and fitness.
Whether you aim to lose weight or gain a few muscles, I can help identify the correct workout and make realistic session plans suitable to your body type and physical capability.
Book your consultation now here, you can also message us on Facebook or Instagram. I look forward to chatting with you!
You can also check our other blogs!