Terri Ramsey Beavers Many of us have to juggle our careers (and side hustles), family life and social obligations every day. While it’s great to have a full schedule, it leaves no time for you to dedicate to your fitness. However, there are tips and tricks that can clear out some time for working out even for people with the tightest of schedules. If you’re determined to prioritize fitness this year, here’s how you can stay true to your fitness goals:
Try different workouts
Before you start creating any schedules and paying for programs, it’s crucial to try out different workouts and activities. Go from gym to jogging to group sports—try them all out. Settle on a workout that not only fits your preferences the best but also your lifestyle and work schedules.
Create a schedule
Once you know what you want to do to reach your fitness goals (lift at the gym, do quick home workouts, attend group classes, etc.) it’s time to make a schedule. If you don’t follow a schedule, it’s very likely that you’ll start skipping workouts and focusing on some more important things. Therefore, it’s crucial to write down your workouts, include them in your daily schedule and treat them with the same urgency as your conference calls and important meetings.
Try early morning workouts
Before you get to work and tune into your tasks and meetings, you can start your day with proper exercise. Once you sit at your desk and start working, it can be hard to switch your attention to your personal tasks. Also, you might get so tired at work that you decide to skip your workouts and just relax in front of the TV. However, if you get your exercises out of the way before you go to work, it’s much easier to stick to your schedule.
Treat your fitness seriously and wake up a little bit earlier than usual to finish your workout in the morning. This is a great approach because your morning physical activity will leave you full of energy and accomplishment throughout the day. And you can focus on work things at the office or family things when you get home.
Gear up
Many people try their hardest to find excuses for skipping their workouts—don’t be those people. Instead, try to eliminate distractions and excuses by investing in all the necessary equipment and workout clothing you need. Stock up on fashionable quality leggings that will allow you to enjoy your workouts in comfort and security. These leggings will also do wonders for your confidence and make you want to leave the house and hit the gym or do your jogs. Next, invest in a few dumbbells and elastic bands so you can keep up with any program and not skip a workout that requires these accessories. Having all the necessary tools for a good workout will push you to run out of excuses and actually stick to your plans.
Do your workouts at home
Many of us really don’t have time for 90-minute group workouts or lengthy gym trips. But don’t let that stop you from working out. You can do very effective workouts at home and enjoy all the practicality of your space—access to clothes, water, shower, etc. When you’re working with a tight schedule, you can easily introduce a HIIT home workout that lasts 30 minutes tops and requires zero or minimal equipment. There’s a variety of workouts and workout programs online for free, but it’s best to pay a private trainer to create something custom for your schedule, goals and abilities.
Every activity counts
Throughout the day, you have many opportunities to exercise. For instance, you can skip the elevator at work and take the stairs, you can park a little further from your building, or you can skip the car together and bike to work. When you get home, you can take a walk after dinner or suggest an activity when meeting with your friends instead of sitting at the bar.
Don’t let your tight schedule stop you from reaching your fitness goals. No matter how busy, you can always carve out some time to work out and still maintain your regular work-life balance. With the tips above, you’ll enjoy a fun and effective fitness regimen that will yield results in no time.