Finding time to exercise is not easy.
Between my now 3 companies, my husband, chickens, and my garden, exercise is just kind of out the window.
As I get older, staying active and fit is definitely an important step to living long, healthy, and happy.
I have always been a very active person. I participated in sports in high school and have tried many activities since.
But it is much harder to manage time to exercise when you’re schedule is cluttered all the time.
Before I launched my second company, I remember thinking that I would be able to exercise all the time.
I had plans to go to the gym once my husband was home from work and to run during the day.
But let’s face it; that affirmation didn’t work.
I think I went to the gym a total of 10 times in 10 months. I found that when I had time to exercise, I would much rather spend time with my husband or catch up on sleep, laundry, or grocery shopping… exercising was at the bottom of my list.
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Finding Time to Exercise
I knew that once I started a second business, I would have even less time to work out.
So I decided to devise a plan and start ASAP.
Here are a few things that seem to be working for me and will hopefully work for you:
Make it a priority. With little to no extra time in your life, it is too easy to find excuses not to exercise. Don’t let yourself make excuses! Consistent exercising is just as much mental as it is physical; don’t let your mind talk you out of a good workout!
Set an achievable goal. Decide how many minutes per day and how many days per week are realistic for you. For me, it’s to work out at least 45 minutes per day, at least 4 days a week. And depending on your interests, you can set a goal in the near future to work towards.
Find a time that works best for you. I have found that the best time for me to exercise is first thing in the morning. I wake up early and go to the gym before anyone else is awake in my house. And although I hate when my alarm goes off at 4:30 am, I absolutely love starting my day off with a workout.
I am able to work out, shower, and get ready for work and avoid the commute traffic since I hit the gym early.
But if you’re not a morning person, maybe the best time for you to exercise is during lunch.
Work out with a friend. I like that I’m more accountable when I’m meeting my friend at the gym. But I know this doesn’t always work for all busy women. Working out alone allows you to make your own schedule and eliminates the need for coordinating schedules with someone else. It’s always nice to get a little time to yourself!.
Keep it fun. Find a type of exercise that you actually enjoy; this will make it easier to stay motivated. For me, I go to a total body class 3x a week and I walk at least 1-2x a week. Walking on a treadmill isn’t the most fun for me, so I make sure to get outside on the weekends, oftentimes with a friend. I’ve also gotten involved in yoga. There are so many different types of exercise – elliptical, biking, weight lifting, Zumba, swimming – find something that you enjoy.
Get your children involved. Depending on the age of your children, find a way to be active and get them involved. You can get out of the house and take your kids for walks or quick runs in your jogging stroller. I don’t have kids, but whenever I see my nieces and nephews, I don’t mind taking an outside stroll with them.
Do it for you. I used to think that I was being selfish by taking time to go work out by myself. I always have so many things on my to do list (laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning…), but I have found that I am happier when I exercise and do something for myself. It rejuvenates me and makes me better. Plus, I hope I can motivate my friends and family as well.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. This is a big one! There will be days when you don’t work out… and that’s ok. After 2 weeks of following my exercise plan, I was kind of getting tired. It was between working, life, and waking up early to exercise. And that was ok. But I made sure to start my routine again the following week so I don’t fall short of my plan.
I hope I have motivated you to start an exercise plan that works for you!
And, as always, if you are a working professional and have any tips for finding time to exercise, feel free to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!
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