One of the biggest challenges I hear about from other busy moms is finding time to exercise.
Exercise can be tricky. Although the benefits are clear, it’s not always fun and there always seem to be a million other things to do.
So let me start by saying that exercise is one of my self-care musts. And it has nothing to do with fitting into my jeans (ok, maybe it has a little bit to do with that). It’s about FEELING GOOD by elevating my mood and clearing my head.
I can say unequivocally that I would not be able to maintain my business and be the kind of mom I want to be, without regular exercise.
So…how do you do it?
Just Write It Down
That’s it. Look at your calendar early in the week (I do this on Sundays) and schedule in time to exercise every day. Write it down in pen.
If you schedule it in 6 days, maybe it won’t happen all 6 days but it will probably happen 3 or 4 days. And that’s enough.
But what if I don’t like exercising?
I don’t particularly like “exercising” either. So I do a bit of reframing.
I DO like catching up with my friends, so walking with a friend is a form of exercise I indulge in at least once a week.
I DO like dancing, so I take a dance class once a week.
I DO like listening to music, so I run to my favorite playlists a few times a week.
I DO like having muscle tone, so I take a barre class once or twice a week.
See the pattern? Figure out what you do like… then do that. And when you don’t like it, remember your why, the reason why you like doing it.
My friend Janet likes hitting things, so she takes a boxing class. My friend Lisa likes feeling zen, so she takes yoga. My friend Laura likes having time to herself, so she walks solo 5 times per week.
Keeping It Up
Just like anything else, it takes time for exercise to become a habit. At first, you make yourself do it; eventually you’ll want to do it.
I used to have to force myself to go running; now, I want to go running because I know I’ll feel amazing afterward.
Finding time to exercise is actually really simple: 1. find what you like, and 2. schedule it in your day planner (or your phone or your online calendar or wherever you keep your schedule).
What are your tricks for squeezing in time to exercise? Please share in the comments below!