Finding time to exercise
Because we need to
Last year, when I was pretty deep into my Ironman training, I got asked a few times how I find time to train that much. I didn’t have a good answer, because for me it was no problem, I didn’t have to give up anything else I liked or had to do.
When you’re making something a habit/lifestyle, it doesn’t feel like you have to “find time” to do it.
Granted, I have a few things, most people don’t have, that save me a lot of time:
- Because of my work, I can schedule my workouts as I want. By going to “public” places (like the gym, swimming pool, etc.) during the day when those places aren’t as crowded.
- I don’t have to commute to and from work.
- I don’t have any kids that need my time.
Lifestyle changes
Over the years, I’ve made many lifestyle changes that give me more time to do what I want. Here are some examples:
- Everyone is so “busy” these days, it’s the new cool. Still, they are scrolling through social media feeds and watching Netflix all the time. I don’t regularly watch TV or Netflix. It happens, if there’s something I really want to watch — but it’s not part of my routine. Earlier, it was the thing I did the whole evening after work.
- I don’t use social media as much, or at least try to. I’ve removed all social media apps from my phone. I didn’t do that just to save some time, though.
- I prioritize working out, it’s a part of my daily to-do list. I know that I mentally and physically need breaks from work, where I usually sit by the computer. Remember to stay consistent — every time you skip a workout, it gets slightly easier to skip the next workout after that as well.
- Combining errands. Rarely do I go just to the grocery store or post office, usually I do those errands when I walk home from the gym.
- Meal prepping. Besides saving money and making sure I eat healthy, meal prepping saves me a lot of time.
- Minimizing drinking/partying. As someone who has spent the majority of the weekends partying for 15 years, I know that every party eliminates roughly two days of working out or doing anything else productive from that week.
Not everyone is training for an Ironman, but the idea I’m trying to make here is by evaluating your time, and thinking about it weekly/monthly/yearly — you’ll see how much time you actually have. Not just to exercise, but to do other things you want to do as well.
