All of us are busy and balancing something- work, children, school, and faith. Some of us don’t feel we have time to work out.
Working out doesn’t have to be time consuming. Even just thirty minutes a day can do your health and your mental state a lot of good. Today, I’d like to share some ideas for working out in smaller time frames.
1. Do what fits your schedule
Some people walk or visit the gym during their lunch break. I’m a teacher who doesn’t have duty-free lunch. I work with teachers who walk during their planning period. I myself have chosen to schedule my workouts around my daughters’ dance classes. While they are in class, I choose to workout across the street at the gym instead of sitting in the lobby. On days when they don’t have class, I run in the mornings before work. You have to decide what you want to do and make the time frame fit.
2. Keep it simple
Your workouts don’t have to be elaborate. They don’t have to be long. Just 30-40 minutes a day is enough. If you can do more and you want to do more, great. But if you can’t, remember that it’s OK.
3. Strength in numbers
Do you have coworkers or friends who would meet up with you? For years, my mother and a friend of hers from a neighboring doctors’ office would met up and walk together during lunch. Maybe a friend would want to meet you at the gym after work. Working out with a friend is good for a number of reasons: friends motivate us to be our best shelves, but we also know humans benefit from companionship and the company of others.
4. Make it a routine
If you choose a time that works for you and stick to it, fitting in your workout will become second nature to you. Humans like predictability and routine- committing to a regular time to workout will increase the likelihood that you stick with it.
Do what works for you and your schedule. Remember, exercise is a way of stress release and renewal. It doesn’t have to be stressful and it doesn’t have to be time consuming. What are your tried and true ways of fitting in your workout?