I love these inspiring quotes: “You will never find time for anything. You must make it,” and even more profound, “Those who think they have not time for . . .exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” These words really speak to the necessity of integrating exercise into our daily lives.
Ask anyone who doesn’t work out regularly why they can’t begin a fitness program and chances are they’ll say, “I don’t have time.” Most of us spend our day at a job outside of the home or juggling our responsibilities as a “household CEO.” We seem to find time to go to work, care for our children, drive them to activities, shop for groceries, run errands, pay bills, balance the checkbook, do laundry, clean the house, cook meals, help with homework. . . whew! Have I left anything out? Yes. . . exercise! For most women, exercise is at the bottom of our priority list. Yet, without a consistent exercise program, you may lack the energy and vitality to keep up with all your responsibilities. You can find time to “fit in fitness” if you’re willing to schedule yourself into your own calendar. Here are some helpful hints:
FIT EXERCISE INTO A SET TIMESLOT
If you can talk yourself out of exercise, you can talk yourself into it. If you plan a regular time to exercise, it’s easier to stick with your routine. We’re more likely to commit to something we do regularly than to something we do rarely. B.F. Skinner theorized that after repeating an activity 21 times, it becomes a habit. Since “old habits die hard,” our goal is to make exercise an “old habit.” Once exercise is a habit, you won’t want to do without it!
PLAN and PRIORITIZE
We all plan our lives by making mental or written lists of the things we must accomplish each day. Then we tackle those tasks in order of importance. The most important element of life – what we absolutely cannot live without – is our health. And one of the most important ways to achieve good health is by exercising regularly. Therefore, you must place your exercise routine at the top of each day’s priority list. Don’t look at exercise as just another demand on your time. Exercise is an essential part of your life.
FIND THAT “MISSING” HALF HOUR
This comes down to making some choices. You have to examine the daily activities that pull you away from exercise. Think of the tasks or group of tasks that take you thirty minutes to complete. Then ask yourself, “Is a clean floor more important than a healthy body?” “In the grand scheme of life, is one extra load of laundry more valuable than a workout?” Then learn the art of delegating. Enlist others in your household to relieve you of thirty minutes of work each day. You really can find that “missing” half hour if you’re creative!
UNHOOK and UNPLUG
Most of us get stuck on the phone, and if you tally up the time you spend on “terminal hold” and on conversations you can’t cut short, you’ve got your workout! If you’re running out the door for your jog and the phone rings, screen your calls and don’t pick up unless it’s an emergency. Likewise, don’t let the Internet and those "must-open-now" e-mails derail your workout!
If you watch too much TV – and you know who you are – turn off the tube, get off the couch, and use that time for exercise. Yet, if TV relieves stress, exercise during your favorite show. Your mind will enjoy the program while your body works for your health. Before you know it, your workout is done and you feel great!
LEARN TO BE SELFISH. . . AND I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY!
Most of the tasks I listed in the first paragraph are responsibilities we have to our children, our spouse, our house, or our job. Most of us completely neglect the responsibility we have to ourselves. Yet, we simply cannot be the best mom, wife, friend, employee, boss – or just our best self – if we don’t learn to take care of ourselves first. If you’re not a selfish person by nature, and most of us are not, then think about how the important people in your life will benefit from your good health and happiness.
Your basic strategy for fitting in fitness is this: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF AND KEEP IT!
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I agree! Scheduling time to work out really helps. I'm just now getting into the groove of working out again. During my daughter's second nap, I do Wii Fit and Jonnie Greggain's Super Stomachs. So far, it's been 3 days in a row. Yea!
Hi Lori!
I definitely remember working out during naps! I would put my daughter down, then RUN for the next room where my workout equipment was located. I would just finish, and she was up again! I had to laugh – she had a very accurate little radar system, which left me no time for a nice cool-down or stretch, let alone a gulp of water!!!
Good for you for making the commitment to yourself. Once your workouts become a habit again, you won't want to live without them. 3 days in a row is a great start! And by the way, I love Joannie Greggains! She's an exercise icon in the San Francisco Bay Area where I grew up.
Keep up the great work! When your daughter stops napping, she'd probably have fun doing the Wii with you, or going out in the jogging stroller for a run or walk. My motto is "when mommy's happy, everybody's happy," so keep working out – you AND your family will reap the rewards!
Thanks for the encouragement Karey!