Tips to Fit Exercise Into a Busy Schedule

Probably one of the most common excuses for those that don’t exercise is “I just don’t have enough time.” Anyone that has managed to make exercise a habit knows that there is always a way to fit exercise into your day. For those struggling to form this habit, I’ve compiled a list of tips to help fit exercise into a busy schedule. So there are no more excuses.

Schedule It and Make It a Priority

The first mistake people make when trying to exercise more is not actually planning the time or working it into their schedule. It is generally an “if I have time, I will do it” kind of thing. Yet they seem to always find time for social media or T.V. It is not that they don’t have time. They just haven’t made it a priority over other things. 

Exercise needs to be something that will be done regardless such as eating lunch for example. And other things should be done if you have the time after exercising. It is a different mindset. You start by actually planning and putting exercise in your schedule, and not canceling it unless it’s an emergency. Exercise is necessary. It increases well-being and reduces lifetime healthcare expenses so it is worth your time.

Train With More Intensity

By working harder, you can get the same amount of work done in less time. If you don’t have 90 minutes to work out. That is fine. You can get a great workout in just 30 minutes. But, these are going to be an intense 30 minutes. This means that instead of walking on a treadmill, you should be doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) which involves alternating between an intense activity and a short rest. This has even shown to increase the amount of calories you burn after you leave the gym. So do sprints, burpees, box jumps, or jump rope for example. Do 1 minute on and 30 seconds off. You will find that in just around 6-7 minutes you will be very drained and your heart rate very elevated.

For weight training, you will focus on supersets or low rest time with higher reps. Supersets involve pairing two exercises together and performing them back-to-back with no rest in between. This has more of a fat burning effect and increases muscular endurance. This technique isn’t necessarily the best technique for raw strength gains, but it is good for burning calories and building muscle. Supersets can either be done with two antagonist muscles such as doing a bicep curl with a tricep extension. Or you could even do the same muscle if you want to wear it out more such as performing a bench press and dumbbell fly together.

If you find it hard to do supersets, you could also just perform higher reps and decrease your rest time in between sets. Don’t be texting or on social media when you’re at the gym. Use a watch or a timer and rest no more than 30 seconds between sets and do around 12-15 reps per set. This will allow you to get through your workout in less time and still get in great shape.

Wake Up Earlier

For those that really struggle to fit exercise into the middle of your day, you may just have to start your day an hour earlier. This is also a good technique for those that have a tiring job and just feel worn out after work. This way, you are able to exercise when you are more fresh and it actually helps wake you up and energize you before the workday starts. Another benefit is a feeling of accomplishment from getting your exercise done so early in the day. Then, you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of your day. It also has shown to improve fat-burning throughout the day. 

This may be hard if you are not an early bird, but the key is to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Your body will eventually adjust and you will be fine. Another trick is to place the alarm somewhere where you have to get out of your bed to turn it off. You may also like drinking a pre-workout drink to help wake you up by getting some stimulants in your body. 

However you do it, just do it. Set your alarm maybe an hour earlier and go to sleep an hour earlier too. Typically, the later you go to bed, the less productive those hours are before bed anyway. So you will probably notice that you can even get more done by getting an early start on the day.

Pack A Bag And Go Right After Work

Another option is to go right after work. This option is good if you just really hate getting up early and your work isn’t very physically demanding. The key to this is to bring a gym bag full of everything you need so that you don’t need to go home first. Bring your clothes and supplements and change in the locker room at the gym. This way saves you more time than you think. First, it will save driving time. And second, you get distracted by other things once you get home, especially if you have a family. Getting distracted at home by another task that needs to be done can cause you to go later to the gym or not at all.

If you are lucky, your company may even have it’s own gym or fitness center. If they do, this can save you even more time because you don’t have to drive anywhere. So if it has what you need there, use the company gym and it will save you money too since you don’t need to pay for a gym membership.

One reason I personally like going after work is that I feel less rushed. When I have gone in the mornings, if I don’t give myself enough time, I find myself rushing to get through my workout because I have to get back and get ready for work. So if you like to relax and have longer workouts, after work may be better for you as well.

Utilize Home Workouts

Home workouts can be a great option as well if you’re trying to fit in a quick exercise routine. This is especially true if you live far from a gym. You cut out drive time and can wear whatever you want too! You don’t need a traditional gym membership to get in great shape. Many prefer doing it at home and avoiding the crowds. If you’re financially able, you could even invest in some equipment. Here I even lay out how you can make a cheap home gym for under $75.

Or, you can do bodyweight exercises or just get creative with what you have in the house. There are tons of at home YouTube workouts that are free as well and guide you through it. Home workouts are great when you have young kids too. This way you can watch the baby, and get a workout in. No gym daycare expenses. So if going to a gym is what is holding you back from exercising, do it at home.

Multitask

This is generally not the best idea when you are trying to get a good workout but if you truly need the workout time to work or study for example, think of ways to accomplish tasks during your workout. This is easiest with slow cardio such as walking or a stationary bike. You can read or listen to audio easily during those activities to knock out two birds with one stone.

You can also take advantage of your rest time in between sets to read or send emails, make to do lists, etc. If there are work associates you need to call and it’s appropriate in your position, get headphones and have the call going in your ear while you are doing your workout. There are many options but again this is not ideal as it can create a stressful workout as you are trying to focus on multiple things at once. However, if it works for you then do it.

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In the end, there is really no good excuse for not taking care of our bodies. They are the vessels with which we experience life. The better condition we are in, the better we experience life. Everyone has 24 hours in the day. There are people that are busier than you that workout every day. If CEOs can do it, we all can. All it requires is a little effort and planning. Make it a priority. If it is a priority long enough, it will form into a habit. And then you’re set. I hope these tips will help you to fit exercise into your own busy schedule.