How Can I Commit to Exercising Daily, When Life Leaves Me Short of Time?

Let’s face it, life gets in the way. We might wake up every morning with exceedingly high aspirations about what they would like to accomplish that day, but go to bed that night, only checking off half of the things on our list. Why? Life got in our way. Unfortunately, we cannot control all of the things that interrupt our plans on a daily basis and we most certainly cannot control the clock by asking it to slow down and give us more time, so we have to come to terms with the fact that there will be days when we cannot accomplish EVERYTHING on our to do list. It’s okay to be okay with that. However, it’s not okay to use that as an excuse not to exercise.

So how do we ensure that life doesn’t get in the way of our workout goals?

There are some things in our daily routines that we will refuse to sacrifice, not matter what the day brings. Getting dressed, bathing, even that morning cup of coffee, (for some), always manages to get done, despite what unexpected events occur within our lives. A workout needs to become one of those things!

Time management is a tricky feat for some. However, planning a schedule and then committing to that schedule, can eliminate time management problems. Many people make early decisions about when they will wake up, when they will leave for work, and even when they will break for that coffee. Once a specific time is set and a schedule is put in place, these decisions don't need to be made anymore. They go from being decisions to being mental commitments. They are just not options anymore. (Think automatic pilot.) The same needs to be applied toward the decision to exercise!

To ensure that exercise plays a significant role in your daily life (despite any circumstances that impede on your day), we must start to look at exercise as a ritual that cannot be sacrificed. Prior to the start of a hectic work week, plan a specific time and duration of your day, that you are going to commit to exercise. Do this for each day of that week and take the time to add these appointments to your calendar. Most importantly, look at these appointments with sincerity and attend to them as though they are necessary parts of your day.

Planning a duration of time to work out is easier when one has in mind what kind of fitness routine they would like to accomplish each day. Here is a link for a 12 week exercise program that is broken down into time intervals. This program may get you started on planning and scheduling a workout routine into your week.

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/health_omag_200603_fit

Yes, life gets in the way sometimes. However, if we refuse, life won’t get in the way of those daily commitments that make up our lives. So make exercise one of them!