Carve out more time
for exercise
One of the most common reasons cited for not exercising is lack of time, according
to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Yet people who exercise work an average
of two hours more per day than people who are sedentary. How do they do it?
Make a commitment
It helps that regular exercise actually makes you feel more energetic, which
can in turn help you be more productive.
Before you rejig your schedule, ask yourself a question: How committed are you
to exercising? Unless you believe that it is truly important, something else
may always draw you away. So make a personal commitment to make fitness a priority.
8 secrets of the fit and busy
You can use these secrets of highly active people to help you carve out more
time to exercise. Choose the ones that work for you.
- Make a date. There will never be a perfect time to start,
because that calm period will probably never happen. Make exercise happen
by booking it into your calendar. Make it the same time each day, so it becomes
a habit.
- Find the right time. Schedule exercise for the time of
day that works best for you. If after work and evenings are booked up with
extracurricular activities, try mornings. If you're not a morning person,
try after work.
- Replace low-priority activities. The average adult Canadian
watches more than 20 hours of TV each week, according to Statistics Canada.
Perhaps you could give up a few hours to go for a bike ride or a swim.
- Choose convenience. If you enjoy going to the gym, find
one that's close to home or work. Not only are you more likely to use it,
you'll save valuable travel time.
- Reclaim time. Shift your routines to “make”
time, such as getting up a half hour earlier on weekdays or dedicating your
lunch hour to go to the gym.
- Multitask. Try combining exercise with other activities.
Go for a walk with a friend instead of going out to dinner for your weekly
catch-up. Walk to or from work. Run neighbourhood errands on foot instead
of taking the car. Turn household chores or yard work into a workout by increasing
the pace.
- Try small doses. Break your daily half hour of exercise
into three ten-minute sessions. Keep a set of dumbbells in the bedroom for
a quick morning set or do simple stretches before getting out of bed. Tuck
a skipping rope into a cupboard near the back door for a quick cardio session.
Put an exercise mat near the TV and do sit-ups while you watch.
- Be prepared. Keep a gym bag packed with essentials so you
can grab and run in a flash. Or keep an extra pair of running shoes at work,
or swimming gear in the car so you're always ready for an exercise break.
Remember, that it's always a good idea to check with your doctor before making
any significant changes in your activity level.