Knowing how to make time to exercise with a busy schedule can seem more complicated than juggling multiple weights. However, you can implement a program that fits with the right attitude and practical strategies. This piece will examine the challenges of keeping a regular fitness routine and present some solutions to help you succeed.
Why You Should Learn How To Make Time for Exercise With a Busy Schedule
Fitness is synonymous with wellness. A stable exercise program offers a wealth of mental and physical benefits that no other program matches. Additionally, it can improve your work performance and strengthen some of your most cherished personal relationships.
A study presented by The Lancet Psychiatry publication claims that 1.2 million people saw improvements in their mental health when including exercise regimes in their schedules. Two hundred one employees reported enhanced moods and improved work performance after starting an exercise program in an International Journey of Workplace Health Management study as well.
A survey presented by the University of Exeter concluded that intense group exercise leads to stronger relationship bonding. Thus, the evidence of exercise’s essential role in your life is apparent.
How To Make Time for Exercise With a Busy Schedule: 17 Ways
You need a game plan to work an effective fitness plan into your agenda. These are 17 actionable tips you can implement now to see improvements:
1. Commit Yourself Fully
Your mindset is the key ingredient in the success recipe. You must commit yourself to your end-game fitness goal and prioritize making it happen. Don’t let yourself make excuses for not finding the time to exercise, for example. Tell yourself that you can and will prevail instead.
2. Visualize Success
Thoughts create visions, and visions generate the motivation to materialize your goals. Therefore, you need to consider how a fitness program can benefit you and catapult yourself into reaping those benefits. Try to see yourself as a happier, healthier, and stronger human being, and let fitness be the path to becoming that person.
3. Think of Time in Smaller Increments
People often think of time in one-hour increments, but they don’t consider shorter periods and small achievements. Try to break your time into 15-minute intervals and set goals to slide the exercise into at least one of those slots.
You’ll see many opportunities once you change your perspective on time. For instance, you can easily substitute exercise for the activity you usually do during your 15-minute work break.
Fifteen minutes isn’t the golden standard for time compression, however. You might want to start with five minutes and work your way up to larger blocks.
The smaller the interval, the more confident you’ll feel about your potential. You’ll have 288 opportunities each day to perform a five-minute workout. Surely you can fit one into your daily schedule.
4. Choose Advantageous Times
Sometimes, you have to be creative when you have limited time. Thus, you might need to list the most advantageous periods. You can stop and exercise while doing something else to save time.
Choose an exercise to do while watching TV or waiting for dinner to cook. Consider working out while you’re doing chores like washing clothes as well. Most people play with their smartphones and read books while they wait, but you can use the time as an opportunity to exercise.
Working out after you put your children to bed is another effective plan. You’ll have the time all to yourself and no one to distract you from completing your repetitions.
5. Use Appointment Calendars
Getting your exercise is just as important as a doctor’s visit, job interview, or special event. Therefore, you need to start treating it like an appointment by setting up helpful reminders. You can use various tools and apps, from simple to-do lists to full-on priority reminders.
6. Create Additional Time
You can’t alter the number of hours in the day, but you can make room for exercise by clearing time slots. You might have to sacrifice something for the overall gain. For example, you can:
- Sleep one less hour and dedicate it to exercise
- Give up your lunch break to work out
- Remove a TV show from your agenda
- Wake up earlier
- Reduce your leisure time
You don’t have to make drastic changes. Adjust your lifestyle according to the window of time you want to open. You’ll be surprised how a few tweaks and hacks can make it seem like you expanded your day.
7. Turn Every Place Into a Gym
Take advantage of a new opportunity to exercise everywhere you go. For instance, the grocery store could be an excellent place to work out. You can use a gallon of water to do five to 10 arm lifts before taking it to the register.
A doctor’s office lobby can be your squat area. Alternatively, you can take advantage of your next long wait in line to flex your glutes and work your calves while you stand there. You get the picture. Leave no business establishment or home off-limits for inserting a workout session.
8. Focus on a Key Area
A small achievement is still a valid one. Thus, focusing on a critical area of your body can help you to save time while still performing the most crucial exercises.
Think of which area you want to improve the most, and use the fitness center’s equipment for that area alone. There’s nothing wrong with keeping it short and simple. Work on the glutes or abs, and then depart for the sake of brevity.
9. Turn Your Errands Into Workouts
There’s room for inventiveness in everything you do, even errands and tasks. You can transform a walk to the corner store into an effective jogging session.
You could turn your laundry bags into powerful arm-strengthening mechanisms. Working your facial muscles while driving is also an option, and the other possibilities are endless.
10. Get Creative In Your Home
Are you too short on cash to pay for a full gym membership? Don’t let that stop you from working out. Instead, look around your home for furniture and other items you can use in a good workout session.
The stairs in your two-story home could make the best stair-stepper. Your broom could help you do squats and oblique exercises.
Moreover, your doorways can help you with shoulder blade exercises if you get creative. You don’t need a gym membership to do valid exercises, but fitness equipment is a plus.
11. Adopt Workout Buddies
Adopting your friends as workout buddies is excellent for dedicating more time to fitness. It could work well if you already spend a lot of time with certain friends and associates.
All you have to do is revise your activities. For instance, you can meet for a class or workout session instead of getting together for dinner or a night at the club.
12. Sign Up With a 24-7 Gym
Getting a membership at a 24-hour gym can help you squeeze workout time into your days and nights. A good example is to visit such a gym after getting off work from an overnight job.
13. Dress the Part
You’ve already learned how to make time for a busy schedule to a certain degree. Now it’s time to dress the part. Keeping a healthy wardrobe of fitness outfits will give you the confidence boost you need during your journey.
Something about fresh, new activewear shifts the mindset to a lively and focused place. It’s similar to an athlete suiting up for a big game. The clothes complete the attitude, and the attitude brings the win.
14. Coach Yourself for Motivation
Self-affirmations are still as effective as ever. You might need to stop and tell yourself how strong, dedicated, and capable you are of doing anything you dream. Take a few minutes each day to give yourself an uplifting coaching session, and you’ll be better equipped to take action.
15. Reward Yourself Handsomely
Sticking to a fitness regimen deserves a reward, so don’t be afraid to give yourself one. You should acknowledge even the smallest achievements and accept a prize from yourself for reaching them.
A tasty smoothie, a new music album, or a “winner” t-shirt are items that might make you feel accomplished. Don’t hold back on driving the point home that you are an achiever. Instead, boost your confidence with an accolade for your success.
16. View Fitness as a Job That Pays
Think of your workout sessions the same way you view your occupation. It’s a job that pays, and the payoff is a healthier mind and body. Your top required skill is to know how to make time for exercise with a busy schedule.
17. Bring Music and Fuel
Music and nutrients can boost your motivation to commit to your workouts. Thus, you always need to have some prepared. Load up on protein-filled pre-workout beverages, clear water, and all your favorite musical tunes. The extra effort will increase your inspiration.
Try the tips you’re most comfortable with, and you’ll know how to make time for exercises with a busy schedule. Consider using other tips if you don’t see improvements. However, you’re likely to get positive changes and more time to exercise in the end.
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Founder of Eggcellentwork.com. With over 20 years of experience in HR and various roles in corporate world, Jenny shares tips and advice to help professionals advance in their careers. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change.
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