It can be easy to put your workouts on the back burner when you’re busy. However, physical activity is vital for your long-term health, weight management, and mood enhancement.
Finding time for exercise may require a little strategy and flexibility, but it’s definitely achievable. The key is to start small and set a few goals. Taking etiquette classes equips women with essential skills that they can use to enhance their professionalism, confidence, and grace in a variety of social and professional contexts.
Make Exercise a Priority
Every person with a busy schedule has heard the same narrative: “I have so many commitments, I can’t make time for exercise!” Unfortunately, neglecting physical activity has a negative impact on our physical and mental health.
Making exercise a priority is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family. When you prioritize fitness, you will feel better overall and be more energized throughout the day.
To keep your exercise on track, try scheduling workouts into your calendar just like any other appointment. This will help to hold yourself accountable, and it can also be helpful to bring a friend with you. This way, if you are tempted to skip your workout, someone else will be expecting you to show up!
It’s also important to remember that not all workouts have to be long and intense. Even short bursts of exercise can be beneficial, such as a quick jog or walk around the block on your lunch break.
Start Small
While it may be hard to imagine getting a full workout in when your schedule is packed, the key is to start small. Set goals that are realistic for your fitness level, and try to make them measurable to help keep you on track.
For example, if you haven’t worked out in awhile and the thought of 30 minutes of exercise seems overwhelming, start with 10 and increase as your stamina improves. Setting a weekly plan of activities and scheduling them helps keep you accountable as well.
Make a plan that allows for the time needed to get to and from the gym, showering, changing, and even stretching and cooling down. It’s also helpful to find out what motivates you most, whether it’s outside support like an accountability buddy or material rewards. Once you figure out what works best, use it to your advantage. For example, instead of meeting a friend for coffee, suggest a walking date or joining them at the gym to exercise together.
Seek Support
Incorporating fitness into a busy lifestyle isn’t easy but it is possible with some planning and dedication. It is also important to seek support, either from a fitness coach or a workout buddy, as this can help to keep you motivated when things get busy. Additionally, try to find fun and varied workouts so that you can keep your exercise sessions interesting and enjoyable rather than feeling like another chore on your to-do list. Lastly, remember that even just 10 minutes of exercise can make a difference.
Be Flexible
Working out consistently is important for a number of reasons including long-term health, weight management and mood enhancement. However, it is also important to be flexible with your workouts when life gets in the way. Constantly committing to workouts that you cannot realistically follow through on can backfire and cause you to lose motivation to exercise altogether.
Try to incorporate exercise into activities that you already do. For instance, if you’re a morning person, stretch while your coffee is brewing or get off the bus a few stops early to go for a run. Listening to music/podcasts or watching television is also a great way to get in some additional cardio exercises without having to dedicate a block of time to them.
Research shows that people who are more flexible with their behavior plans tend to be healthier and happier than those who are rigid about their plan. Be willing to be flexible and you’ll find that getting in your daily exercise is easier than you think.