Everyone is busy. In some way, shape or form, everyone has a busy schedule.
And one of the top things that fall by the wayside when life gets busy is your exercise commitment. But there are ways to stay active despite having a busy schedule, and we’ve got the lowdown.
1) Redo Your To-Do List
Most people have two lists – an “I Will Do” and an “I Should Do” list, even though the “I Should Do” list is more often than not in our heads, rather than physically written down. Make a habit of writing down both lists and moving two things off your “I Should Do” list and onto your “I Will Do” list. Often, when something is in our head rather than actually written down, it feels more theoretical to our brains. Actually writing it down validates your intention and moving it on your “I Will Do” list makes it one of the items you actually need to do and tick off.
2) Start a Push-Up Challenge
They may seem old-school, but push-ups offer so much more than meets the eye. Push-ups work almost every muscle in your body, helping strengthen your chest, arms, and core at the same time. Your goal is to complete 10-15 full push-ups a day by a set day, and if you need to ease into it with push-up variations, that’s fine. Rope in a friend so that you’re both holding each other accountable.
3) Set a Walking Goal
Walking is a fairly easy activity and can be made even more enjoyable. If you have a dog, write on your “I Will Do” list that the dog needs a walk. Your mind will briefly see the to-do as for someone else and won’t feel the immediate need to put it off. Starting off first thing in the morning also means you get it done as soon as possible making it feel like a major tick off the to-do list.
4) Drink Water
Again, make this a challenge. Buy a large re-usable water bottle and write times on the bottle along the line that indicates the unit of measure. This will allow you to see what you’re drinking and help you stay on track and motivated to drink water. Ideally, you should aim to drink half your body weight in millilitres. If plain water is too boring for you, add some lemon, strawberries, blueberries and mint to spruce up the taste.
5) Get Out of Your Groove
The problem with busy schedules is that it often means we fall into a rut. Try changing up your routine. Leave earlier for work in the morning allowing you to leave the office earlier. Take a different route home or try a new gym. New routines, new places and new elements can expose us to new opportunities to get active, like an exciting new gym class you’d like to try. You may even find that by switching up your routine, you end up with extra time here or there, ideal for when you’re trying to keep active.
