Working out isn’t just a way to stay fit, it’s also a great way to relax and increase your well-being. For many people, unwinding at the gym is a go-to method for managing the stress of the week. However, sometimes the demands of the day make it hard to find the time to exercise. When your schedule is already full, working out can start to feel like one more thing you don’t have time for. The great news is that fitting exercise into your schedule doesn’t have to mean adding more hours to the day. These smart ways to fit exercise into your life make it easier to take care of yourself without adding to the stress of your schedule.
Make Exercise an Appointment
Some people find it hard to follow through on exercise goals, but always find time for all the appointments and tasks on their calendar. Luckily, there’s an easy solution for that: put exercise on your calendar. As Jessica Booth at Redbook points out, when you write your workout on your schedule like an appointment, “it feels like something you can’t easily cancel at the last moment.” Making exercise an appointment puts it in the same mental space as the other obligations in your life. Plus, it makes it easier to find the time that works best for your schedule.
Use HIIT for Smarter Workouts
If you only have a short window in your day for working out, the great news is that sometimes less is more at the gym. High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, involves short bursts of activity at almost full exertion. Not only does it save time, but it provides much of the same benefit as longer workouts. According to Forbes, doing HIIT for just twenty minutes burns calories at nearly twice the rate as during long runs. On top of that, interval workouts keep your metabolism working hard even after you’re done. Next time you’re at the gym, instead of doing a moderate activity for a long time, go for short bouts of something that gets your heart pounding, like lifting weights or high-intensity cardio.
CROSS IT OFF YOUR LIST ASAP
If it always feels like there’s no time left at the end of the day for exercise, one simple solution is putting it first on your list. Instead of trying to find time in the middle of your busy day, wake up early and get your workout in before the day gets going. As Marianne Magno at Shape puts it, “Becoming an AM exerciser means you get to cross your workout off your to-do list ASAP.” If you hit the gym first thing, you don’t have to worry about it afterward. Plus, getting your blood pumping in the morning can help you feel refreshed and relaxed as you go about your day.
USE YOUR LUNCH BREAK
If the only real time that you have set aside in your day is your lunch break, then you can squeeze a workout in during this time. Just because a workout is short, doesn’t mean that it isn’t effective. You can choose to do a HIIT workout to get your heart rate up and allows you to work your entire body. You could also consider strength training with weights and focusing on one muscle group for the entire time. Even going for a run on your lunch break will help to improve your cardiovascular health and overall endurance.
CREATE A FITNESS PLAN
Creating a fitness plan to follow will not only make your workouts more effective and geared towards reaching your goals, but it will also make it easier for you to get your workout done faster. You won’t have to waste any time wondering what your workout will be, but you can instead get started right away and use all the time that you have to the fullest.
Fitting exercise into your busy schedule doesn’t have to mean adding to to the stress of your day. Finding smart ways to hit the gym allows you to get that much-needed workout in a way that works with your calendar. For more ways to fit exercise into your schedule, contact us.
