Last Updated on February 10, 2021 by Jeff
It’s a matter of changing your perspective, not your priorities.
No matter how committed you are to your workout schedule, there will come a time in your life where you’re too busy to exercise. Prior commitments make it nearly impossible for you to find time to drive back and forth to work or school, eat, and sleep, let alone spend time at the gym. If you’re time-deprived but still want to exercise as much as humanly possible, there are things you can do to carve out small but impactful parts of your schedule. You may not think there is enough time to hit the gym, but there are other places you can work out including inside and outside your home, office, or campus.
Here are some fitness hacks that help you make the most out of every hour of every day.
Get up earlier and start your day by moving your body.
Sacrificing sleep isn’t an option. You can, however, devote 15 to 30 minutes in the morning to working out. It can be as simple as taking your dog on a walk or greeting the sun by doing a few yoga moves. If you do things like lay your clothes out the night before and pack your lunch before bed as opposed to before you leave for work or school, you’ll be able to commit to early morning movement with ease.
Combine physical activity with an activity you’d usually do sitting down.
For example, if you’re scheduled to attend a teleconference, put on your Bluetooth, lace up your walking shoes, and go the distance. If you’re not required to speak frequently, you’ll be able to pull off the walking meeting successfully. Not only are you accomplishing two things at once, you’re benefiting your health by giving your body a chance to move.
Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
If you do this several times a day, you’ll notice that the number of calories burned as the readout on your pedometer increases. Not only that, you’re strengthening and toning muscles without needing to do calisthenics. It doesn’t take you much longer to take the stairs, so get ready for the challenge and make it part of even the busiest days you have scheduled.
Use your breaks to get some extra movement in.
Fifteen minutes might not seem like a lot of time to do much, but it’s well worth it to stand up and move. If you have an office or cubicle that you work in, do some stretches, jumping jacks, or wall squats before resuming your workday. If you’re able to do this twice a day, five days a week, you’ll have worked out a total of two and a half hours more than you thought you had time to.
Now that you know how to make time for exercise during the busiest times of the year, you’ll be able to stay on track and surpass your fitness goals. In addition to feeling healthier, you’ll also experience greater happiness and satisfaction because you continue to be the one controlling your schedule. If you’re not sure how you’re going to fit in a workout after a long day at work or school, try the hacks listed above to become a master of your schedule.