How to Make Time to Exercise

If you’re anything like the rest of us, it can be almost impossible to find the time every day to exercise or be active. But does that mean you have to give up on your fitness goals? No – exercise is a fundamental part of life and it is essential for good health and wellbeing. Here’s how to find the time to exercise in amongst your other priorities and commitments.

1. Pack your bags and get everything ready so you can make the most of any time you get to go to the gym or go out for a run. For example, collect together all your gym clothes the night before and put your gym bag in the car. Get your pre- and post-workout snacks ready, and make sure any equipment you use in the house is ready and working. Plan your exercise routine before you start so that you know what you are going to do and which equipment you are going to use.
2. Get up early to exercise. It helps when you can get your exercise session completed at the start of the day, so you are less likely to miss out because work and other commitments get in the way. Plus, if you get up a little earlier you can find the extra time for fitness that you are lacking.
3. Remember that exercise doesn’t only happen at the gym. You don’t have to find a full hour to spend on the treadmill or going for a long run. If you don’t have the time, fit in exercise as part of your everyday routine. Bike to work, walk briskly to the store instead of driving, do lunges, pushups and sit ups when you watch TV, and be active playing with the children outside.
4. Make your exercise sessions important and unmissable. Put the time in the diary and stick to it. When you give exercise the priority it deserves you are more likely to find some extra minutes to do it. Set yourself reminders so you don’t end up forgetting about the exercise session.

Streamline your life to find more time to exercise. For a start, you can say no to activities and events you do not want to do. You need to focus on your fitness as well as other people and their needs. You can often skip things without any serious negative consequences.