I HAVE NO TIME!

I hear you.  For real.

But I’m here to tell you that you DO have time.  For yourself.  Your mind. And your body.

Let me help you find it!

Once you know how to find time to exercise, you’ll be on your way to feeling so much better.

How to Find Time to Exercise

Everyone, no matter how busy, has the same number of minutes in a day.

Figuring out how to use those minutes in a positive, health-first way can be developed into one of your ninja powers.

Put down your phone!

Browsing Facebook may give you a sweet little digital hit while you wait for soccer practice to finish, but you could be using those precious few minutes to sneak in some exercise. Hop out of your car and step up and down the curb. You may feel a bit foolish at first, but I bet if anyone asks what you’re doing they’ll be impressed with your dedication.

Next time you reach for your phone for a little mindless scrolling to decompress, take a deep breath, stand up, and walk around the room. Or get down on the floor and stretch. It may not seem like much, but breaking the habit of grabbing your phone is a good start for finding time to exercise.

Have less than 10 minutes but want to break a sweat? This super-short countdown circuit and exercise ladder will get your heart pumping while the kids play in the bathtub or you wait for the water to boil to cook dinner.

Try these 10 Tips for Sneaky Exercise to help you find out how to insert more meaningful movement into your day– without giving anything else up.

Find Time to Exercise by Shifting Your Mindset

Here’s the thing: Most of us have been sold the fairy tale that you have to exercise for an hour or it doesn’t count. Guess what? That’s just not true!

Studies show that workouts that are less than 10 minutes can help bring positive physiological changes. Yes, you’re going to need to work hard for those ten minutes, but reaping the reward of better health is worth it, right?!

Another realistic way for thinking about how to find time to exercise is considering what you can do to more actively.

• Instead of emailing or calling a coworker, can you walk to their office and have a walk-and-talk meeting?
• Could you start a family habit of playing outside for 15 minutes after dinner before the TV gets turned on?
• Maybe you could literally “run errands” if you need only to drop off or pick up a few things. (A good small backpack helps!)

Every little bit of meaningful movement adds up!

And, BONUS: You know exercise is good for your body.  But did you know that just 20 minutes of exercise time has positive mental benefits, too?

(By the way, that’s what “balance” and “wellness” is all about. Being healthy in mind, body, and spirit.)

If  you know you want to work out more but you can’t seem to find the motivation, borrow my three favorite scripts for breaking through a workout wall.  Don’t feel like a failure if it’s been a while since you’ve gotten regular exercise! Everyone needs a little nudge every now and again.

Maybe you’re at the beginning of your fitness journey. Being a beginner can be a real blessing! Use my fitness guide for beginners to get some ideas of where to start. Remember that keeping it short and simple still counts!

So, for those of you who are still shouting I HAVE NO TIME, stop and take a breath.  My 8 No-Excuses Acts of Self-Care are a great place to start being kind to yourself. By threading little acts of kindness in to your day, you can begin to deepen your breath, connect with your body, and see that you are worth finding time for.

Prioritizing yourself if the first step to finding time to exercise. As you get better at finding ways to work exercise into your life, you’ll find it easier to make routine exercise a life-long habit.  And that’s where the good health dividends are paid.

The Well Balanced Women blog is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please discuss your health issues with a licensed medical practitioner.