Find Time to Exercise! Exercise and I have a love-hate relationship. Before I workout, I hate it. I hate the thought of putting on my exercise clothes, loading the kids in the car and turning on the treadmill. However, once I start, the hate begins to evolve into a love fling. I begin to see the mental, physical and emotional benefits of exercising. So why is this such a hard thing to do? In a simple word, for most of us, it’s time. We are all so busy, that the thought of squeezing in one more commitment, and particularly one we dread, excuse enough. I am such an advocate of the benefits of exercise that I want to help you find the time to exercise and improve your overall self.
Let’s start though with getting you motivated on the why. The research on the benefits of exercise have been done time and time again and we are aware of the physical health benefits. However, the only research that matters is finding the reason YOU want to work-out. Most of the time, just to lose weight isn’t enough. It can be a factor but we usually need more reason to get us sweating and exhausted. Here’s a list of things to consider when deciding YOUR reason to exercise.
- Builds your confidence
- Increases patience
- Improves self-discipline
- Helps you think clearer
- Strengthens your immune system
- Reduces stress and anxiety
I know what you’re thinking. “These all sound great but I don’t have the time.” I have come to realize that most of us make time for much less beneficial activities and some that have no benefit at all. Exercise needs to be treated as a priority and seen as a benefit of all areas of our life.
Trust me, I understand busy. Between my position at Balance and Harmony 360², homeschooling my kids and being the president of our church kid program (I’m over 130 kids and 26 adults) plus the usual homemaking requirements, my time is precious. For exercise to be a reality for me, I had to make it a priority. Below are ways that can help make it a reality.
- Decide at least 2 times a week you can dedicate to work out.
That’s right, I said 2. Not 6 or 7. Start with 2.
- Make that time a realistic time.
For example, I mentioned to my husband one day that I was going to start waking up at 5 am and going to the gym. Immediately we started laughing. Hearing it come out of my mouth, was ridiculous. I only wake up at 5 am if there’s a fire in the house, hopefully. By trial and error, I discovered my time to work-out is right before lunch. It gives us time to get a good chunk of schooling done in the mornings and gives the kids a good break before we pick back up during the 2yr. old’s naptime.
- Don’t overdo it.
If you are a beginner, the best way to burn yourself out is to hit the gym for an hour and a half, every day. Be honest with your time commitment. Less is more, certainly can apply here. If you work at an intense level for an entire 30-45 minutes, you will reap wonderful benefits.
- Be flexible with yourself.
Life is not predictable. You will have weeks where your typical workout time is interrupted. Adjust when needed. If your normal Tuesday morning workout must be missed, immediately set up a new time. The important part is making sure you reach your goal number of workouts for the week, whether that is 2 or 6.
- Be patient with yourself.
Finding time to work out and actually working out is hard. If it’s something you haven’t done in a while, it can be easy to get discouraged. Please don’t. Each time you exercise, you will see improvement and that will motivate you to keep going.
Figure out what’s stopping you from finding the time to work out. Think of it as one less television show, less Facebook time or a way to get out of doing the dishes for the moment. Making this a priority will only have positive repercussions in your very busy life!
Find time to exercise!
Audrey Whiteley, CSE®
works for Balance & Harmony 360², as a Certified Staging Expert in the HOME division. The home environment affects your health, productivity, and happiness. She works with individuals who need to freshen-up outdated décor, “show” a room’s potential, or help homeowners create a lifestyle. Audrey makes the most of your surroundings whether you are staging for a quick sale, building a home, or want to elicit a more productive and peaceful setting in which to live.
Audrey Can Help Create:
- Ideas or Design Boards
- Room Layouts and Arrangements
- Organization Solutions
- Home Staging DIY Reports
- Pre-Move Prep Strategies and Moving Plans
- Purchasing and Hands-On Staging
- Project Management from Start to Finish
Check out more about Balance & Harmony 360² at:
https://www.facebook.com/BalanceAndHarmonyInc
https://www.pinterest.com/balanceharmony/boards/
https://twitter.com/balancehrmy360
https://www.linkedin.com/in/balanceharmony360
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