How to Squeeze in a Workout With Your Busy Schedule

The days can quickly run out of time when you work a busy job. Add on parenting or other responsibilities, and it’s common for your once-loved workout to become a last priority. It may seem near impossible to find time for exercise, and that can be a drain on mental health. Other people may seem like they’ve got it all together, leaving you wondering, how do you manage to fit in a workout with a busy life?

Fortunately, you don’t need to feel alone, and you may be surprised how much easier it will be to maintain once you start gaining some exercise back into your day. Here are some tried and true tips to help you squeeze a little movement into your packed day.

Find a New Routine

Your schedule may feel slammed now, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health. Fitting in a workout can be as simple as adjusting your schedule. Before giving up, take a hard look at your routine and ask yourself if it’s possible to give yourself more time in the morning or evening. What do you need to adjust to make one of those times work out? If you have an extra lunch break and would prefer to exercise in the afternoon, then plan by packing your lunch so you have spare time and aren’t stuck in a fast-food line. Plan an exercise plan that allows you to have a brief warm-up. What does pre workout do? This will help you not regret your exercise decision and keep your muscles limber during the workout.

Whatever you do, you want to make sure you give yourself enough time not to be rushed. Why does this matter? Exercise should become a part of your new routine so you don’t have to stress about doing it. Just like your other responsibilities, you can make your health a priority too, and it can start by simply adjusting your routine.

Make an Exercise Plan

It’s hard to follow through with working out when you don’t have a concrete plan. It can be far too easy to waste time trying to think of how best you should work out, and before you know it, the new time you allotted for exercise disappears. Instead, take time the following day and decide on the type of exercise you want to fit in. It can be as simple as doing a walk or light job. If you want to lift weights, then you’ll know what to pack and wear so you can make the experience more comfortable. 

You can create a daily plan each evening before the new day or set a time on the weekend and jot out a weekly workout routine. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but once you have a plan in place, you’ll realize following through with exercise becomes a whole lot easier.

Find Ways to Stay Accountable

Even a well-thought-out plan can go awry if you don’t have any accountability. Sometimes you need a little extra push to help you get started, and that’s ok. Luckily, there are some easy ways to achieve accountability, and it can be as simple as having a friend or co-worker keep you honest or simply downloading an app on your smartphone. 

With technology literally at your fingertips, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of exercise apps that will help you stay on track. Download one that suits your needs best and set up daily reminders. This will be a good backup to help you stay focused, especially if you find yourself easily distracted.

Track Your Progress

Lastly, track your progress. You work hard and deserve to notice your healthy changes. Don’t push aside to reach a goal, as no big deal. Celebrate your wins. You’ll be doing yourself a favor by rewarding your healthy choices, and that will help you keep them maintainable. 

Fitting an exercise routine into your already busy schedule can seem impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is. With a little change, a plan, accountability, and rewarding achievements, you’ll find yourself gaining momentum in no time.