Here's how to make time for exercise in your busy schedule
It's not as impossible as you may think!
Schedule your workout as if it were an appointment.
Instead of casually thinking, 鈥淥kay, I鈥檒l work out when I can tomorrow,鈥� or 鈥淚鈥檒l fit it in after work,鈥� write your workout down and schedule it for a specific time as though it were any other appointment or meeting. That way, it feels like something you can't easily cancel at the last moment. The night before (or at the beginning of the week), look at your calendar and figure out what time works best to fit in a sweat session.
Write that down and then 鈥� this is key 鈥� plan everything else around it. Don鈥檛 push it off to the side if something else comes up (unless it鈥檚 an emergency, of course). Treat it like something you can鈥檛 just walk away from.
PHOTO: Poh Kim Yeoh / EyeEm
Start waking up a little bit earlier.
Studies show that working out in the morning is more beneficial, so why not try it out? If your schedule allows you to wake up an hour earlier every day, start doing it. It will be tough in the beginning, but as with anything else, you will eventually adjust. Working out first thing in the morning, before the kids are awake and before your to-do list begins to creep up on you, can feel refreshing and rejuvenating. It鈥檚 an accomplishment before you鈥檝e even eaten breakfast, and then you don鈥檛 need to worry about it the rest of the day.
PHOTO: Tassii
Make it something you genuinely enjoy.
It鈥檚 much easier to make time for a workout when you鈥檙e doing something you truly love. For example: if you hate running, don鈥檛 force yourself to go for a jog! You don鈥檛 want to do it, so you鈥檙e more likely to come up with excuses as to why you shouldn鈥檛. Find a workout that you love, whether that鈥檚 swimming, taking group classes, boxing, or simply walking, and stick to that. If it鈥檚 something you鈥檙e looking forward to, you鈥檙e way more likely to do it.
PHOTO: Martin Barraud
Buddy up!
Can鈥檛 make it to the gym because your only spare hour of the day is being taken up by a hangout session with a friend? Ask your pal if you can make it an active one! You two don鈥檛 necessarily need to hit the gym together 鈥� you can take a walk, go to a fun class together, or even take a brisk stroll through the mall while running errands. Who knows, your friend might need that push, too! The other advantage of working out with a friend is that scheduling something with them will make you less likely to cancel 鈥� they basically hold you accountable.
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Break a sweat at home.
Sometimes the act of getting ready and then driving to the gym can take up so much time that you skip the workout altogether. If that鈥檚 the case, just do the exercise at home! If you find this happening often, ditch the expensive membership and buy some weights and other equipment you like for home. There are plenty of apps to download that offer great at-home workouts or you can even search them for free on YouTube. You may find it more manageable to fit exercise into your schedule when it doesn鈥檛 require you to leave your house.
PHOTO: Zing Images
Do short, high-intensity workouts.
If you鈥檙e able to, you may want to consider switching things up when you鈥檙e really busy and opting for a short, high-intensity workout instead of something longer. So, instead of a 45-minute treadmill session, try a 15-minute HIIT workout. Workouts don鈥檛 have to be long to be effective 鈥� sometimes just 15 minutes of really pushing yourself is just as good.
PHOTO: simonkr
Think positive.
If you wake up every day thinking, 鈥淯gh, I don鈥檛 have time for a workout,鈥� then guess what? You鈥檙e probably not going to work out, because you鈥檝e basically already decided that it鈥檚 impossible. But if you wake up thinking of it as a challenge to tackle 鈥� 鈥淚 might be busy, but I can definitely make time for this!鈥� 鈥� then you will be more likely to make time for it. Positive thinking is so powerful, even if you don鈥檛 realize it.
PHOTO: Luis Alvarez
Choose a gym that鈥檚 close by.
Going to a gym that takes more than 20 minutes to get to isn鈥檛 going to work out unless you have a lot of extra time in your day. Try to pick a gym really close to your home, nearby the office, or at least on your commute home. It鈥檚 so much easier to stop in when you鈥檙e close by: You can head over there on your lunch hour, right when you wake up, or on your way home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get creative!
Really don鈥檛 have time to schedule in a sweat session? Start getting creative. If you need to clean the house, do a few squats every time you bend down to dust under the coffee table. Do some lunges as you pick up the kids' toys. Jog in place while waiting for pasta water to boil. Get the baby to take a nap by going for a run or walk around the block with the stroller. It might just be a few minutes, but that adds up 鈥� and it's definitely better than nothing!
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Make your commute your workout.
It鈥檚 not possible for everyone, but many people are able to make their commute a workout instead of spending precious time driving or taking public transportation. Riding a bike or jogging to work is a great way to get your workout in while also getting where you need to go.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get the kids involved.
Want to exercise but also need to keep an eye on your little ones? Get them involved! If you have a small baby, go for long walks together or get a jogging stroller once they鈥檙e old enough. If you have little kids, find a gym that has a babysitting room to care for them while you work out, or find a class that allows you to bring them along. You can even get them to work out with you by playing active games at home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Sacrifice your lunch hour.
You don鈥檛 always need to ditch lunch hour 鈥� sometimes the break is needed 鈥� but if you鈥檙e having a particularly busy day, head to the gym to work out during lunch, then eat at your desk, if possible. It鈥檚 nice to get that work out done while you鈥檙e still on the clock, and it鈥檚 a good way to re-energize so you can get through the rest of the afternoon.
PHOTO: xavierarnau
Take advantage of every situation.
Have to spend the afternoon at your kid鈥檚 soccer practice? Instead of just sitting in the stands watching, jog around the field a few times while they play. Dialing in to a conference call? If it鈥檚 just over the phone, work out while listening in. Spending your whole day at the office? Swap your chair for a stability ball. Little things like this can be effective if you work them in throughout the week.
PHOTO: Ella uzan
Invest in equipment.
If you never have time to hit the gym but you love working out on a treadmill, elliptical, stair master, or something similar, then consider investing in a workout machine. If it鈥檚 in your home, it鈥檚 hard to find reasons not to use it. Plus, you can work out while catching up on your favorite TV show, reading a book, studying, calling into a meeting, watching your kids鈥� the list is kind of endless. It might come with a hefty price tag, but the investment could be well worth it in the end.
PHOTO: Sasha Shtepo
Sleep in your workout clothes.
Want to work out in the morning but having trouble getting motivated when you鈥檙e half asleep? Try sleeping in your workout clothes instead of pajamas so that when you wake up, you鈥檙e ready to roll out of bed and go!
PHOTO: JGI/Jamie Grill
Schedule your workout as if it were an appointment.
Instead of casually thinking, 鈥淥kay, I鈥檒l work out when I can tomorrow,鈥� or 鈥淚鈥檒l fit it in after work,鈥� write your workout down and schedule it for a specific time as though it were any other appointment or meeting. That way, it feels like something you can't easily cancel at the last moment. The night before (or at the beginning of the week), look at your calendar and figure out what time works best to fit in a sweat session.
Write that down and then 鈥� this is key 鈥� plan everything else around it. Don鈥檛 push it off to the side if something else comes up (unless it鈥檚 an emergency, of course). Treat it like something you can鈥檛 just walk away from.
PHOTO: Poh Kim Yeoh / EyeEm
Start waking up a little bit earlier.
Studies show that working out in the morning is more beneficial, so why not try it out? If your schedule allows you to wake up an hour earlier every day, start doing it. It will be tough in the beginning, but as with anything else, you will eventually adjust. Working out first thing in the morning, before the kids are awake and before your to-do list begins to creep up on you, can feel refreshing and rejuvenating. It鈥檚 an accomplishment before you鈥檝e even eaten breakfast, and then you don鈥檛 need to worry about it the rest of the day.
PHOTO: Tassii
Make it something you genuinely enjoy.
It鈥檚 much easier to make time for a workout when you鈥檙e doing something you truly love. For example: if you hate running, don鈥檛 force yourself to go for a jog! You don鈥檛 want to do it, so you鈥檙e more likely to come up with excuses as to why you shouldn鈥檛. Find a workout that you love, whether that鈥檚 swimming, taking group classes, boxing, or simply walking, and stick to that. If it鈥檚 something you鈥檙e looking forward to, you鈥檙e way more likely to do it.
PHOTO: Martin Barraud
Buddy up!
Can鈥檛 make it to the gym because your only spare hour of the day is being taken up by a hangout session with a friend? Ask your pal if you can make it an active one! You two don鈥檛 necessarily need to hit the gym together 鈥� you can take a walk, go to a fun class together, or even take a brisk stroll through the mall while running errands. Who knows, your friend might need that push, too! The other advantage of working out with a friend is that scheduling something with them will make you less likely to cancel 鈥� they basically hold you accountable.
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Break a sweat at home.
Sometimes the act of getting ready and then driving to the gym can take up so much time that you skip the workout altogether. If that鈥檚 the case, just do the exercise at home! If you find this happening often, ditch the expensive membership and buy some weights and other equipment you like for home. There are plenty of apps to download that offer great at-home workouts or you can even search them for free on YouTube. You may find it more manageable to fit exercise into your schedule when it doesn鈥檛 require you to leave your house.
PHOTO: Zing Images
Do short, high-intensity workouts.
If you鈥檙e able to, you may want to consider switching things up when you鈥檙e really busy and opting for a short, high-intensity workout instead of something longer. So, instead of a 45-minute treadmill session, try a 15-minute HIIT workout. Workouts don鈥檛 have to be long to be effective 鈥� sometimes just 15 minutes of really pushing yourself is just as good.
PHOTO: simonkr
Think positive.
If you wake up every day thinking, 鈥淯gh, I don鈥檛 have time for a workout,鈥� then guess what? You鈥檙e probably not going to work out, because you鈥檝e basically already decided that it鈥檚 impossible. But if you wake up thinking of it as a challenge to tackle 鈥� 鈥淚 might be busy, but I can definitely make time for this!鈥� 鈥� then you will be more likely to make time for it. Positive thinking is so powerful, even if you don鈥檛 realize it.
PHOTO: Luis Alvarez
Choose a gym that鈥檚 close by.
Going to a gym that takes more than 20 minutes to get to isn鈥檛 going to work out unless you have a lot of extra time in your day. Try to pick a gym really close to your home, nearby the office, or at least on your commute home. It鈥檚 so much easier to stop in when you鈥檙e close by: You can head over there on your lunch hour, right when you wake up, or on your way home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get creative!
Really don鈥檛 have time to schedule in a sweat session? Start getting creative. If you need to clean the house, do a few squats every time you bend down to dust under the coffee table. Do some lunges as you pick up the kids' toys. Jog in place while waiting for pasta water to boil. Get the baby to take a nap by going for a run or walk around the block with the stroller. It might just be a few minutes, but that adds up 鈥� and it's definitely better than nothing!
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Make your commute your workout.
It鈥檚 not possible for everyone, but many people are able to make their commute a workout instead of spending precious time driving or taking public transportation. Riding a bike or jogging to work is a great way to get your workout in while also getting where you need to go.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get the kids involved.
Want to exercise but also need to keep an eye on your little ones? Get them involved! If you have a small baby, go for long walks together or get a jogging stroller once they鈥檙e old enough. If you have little kids, find a gym that has a babysitting room to care for them while you work out, or find a class that allows you to bring them along. You can even get them to work out with you by playing active games at home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Sacrifice your lunch hour.
You don鈥檛 always need to ditch lunch hour 鈥� sometimes the break is needed 鈥� but if you鈥檙e having a particularly busy day, head to the gym to work out during lunch, then eat at your desk, if possible. It鈥檚 nice to get that work out done while you鈥檙e still on the clock, and it鈥檚 a good way to re-energize so you can get through the rest of the afternoon.
PHOTO: xavierarnau
Take advantage of every situation.
Have to spend the afternoon at your kid鈥檚 soccer practice? Instead of just sitting in the stands watching, jog around the field a few times while they play. Dialing in to a conference call? If it鈥檚 just over the phone, work out while listening in. Spending your whole day at the office? Swap your chair for a stability ball. Little things like this can be effective if you work them in throughout the week.
PHOTO: Ella uzan
Invest in equipment.
If you never have time to hit the gym but you love working out on a treadmill, elliptical, stair master, or something similar, then consider investing in a workout machine. If it鈥檚 in your home, it鈥檚 hard to find reasons not to use it. Plus, you can work out while catching up on your favorite TV show, reading a book, studying, calling into a meeting, watching your kids鈥� the list is kind of endless. It might come with a hefty price tag, but the investment could be well worth it in the end.
PHOTO: Sasha Shtepo
Sleep in your workout clothes.
Want to work out in the morning but having trouble getting motivated when you鈥檙e half asleep? Try sleeping in your workout clothes instead of pajamas so that when you wake up, you鈥檙e ready to roll out of bed and go!
PHOTO: JGI/Jamie Grill
Schedule your workout as if it were an appointment.
Instead of casually thinking, 鈥淥kay, I鈥檒l work out when I can tomorrow,鈥� or 鈥淚鈥檒l fit it in after work,鈥� write your workout down and schedule it for a specific time as though it were any other appointment or meeting. That way, it feels like something you can't easily cancel at the last moment. The night before (or at the beginning of the week), look at your calendar and figure out what time works best to fit in a sweat session.
Write that down and then 鈥� this is key 鈥� plan everything else around it. Don鈥檛 push it off to the side if something else comes up (unless it鈥檚 an emergency, of course). Treat it like something you can鈥檛 just walk away from.
PHOTO: Poh Kim Yeoh / EyeEm
Start waking up a little bit earlier.
Studies show that working out in the morning is more beneficial, so why not try it out? If your schedule allows you to wake up an hour earlier every day, start doing it. It will be tough in the beginning, but as with anything else, you will eventually adjust. Working out first thing in the morning, before the kids are awake and before your to-do list begins to creep up on you, can feel refreshing and rejuvenating. It鈥檚 an accomplishment before you鈥檝e even eaten breakfast, and then you don鈥檛 need to worry about it the rest of the day.
PHOTO: Tassii
Make it something you genuinely enjoy.
It鈥檚 much easier to make time for a workout when you鈥檙e doing something you truly love. For example: if you hate running, don鈥檛 force yourself to go for a jog! You don鈥檛 want to do it, so you鈥檙e more likely to come up with excuses as to why you shouldn鈥檛. Find a workout that you love, whether that鈥檚 swimming, taking group classes, boxing, or simply walking, and stick to that. If it鈥檚 something you鈥檙e looking forward to, you鈥檙e way more likely to do it.
PHOTO: Martin Barraud
Buddy up!
Can鈥檛 make it to the gym because your only spare hour of the day is being taken up by a hangout session with a friend? Ask your pal if you can make it an active one! You two don鈥檛 necessarily need to hit the gym together 鈥� you can take a walk, go to a fun class together, or even take a brisk stroll through the mall while running errands. Who knows, your friend might need that push, too! The other advantage of working out with a friend is that scheduling something with them will make you less likely to cancel 鈥� they basically hold you accountable.
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Break a sweat at home.
Sometimes the act of getting ready and then driving to the gym can take up so much time that you skip the workout altogether. If that鈥檚 the case, just do the exercise at home! If you find this happening often, ditch the expensive membership and buy some weights and other equipment you like for home. There are plenty of apps to download that offer great at-home workouts or you can even search them for free on YouTube. You may find it more manageable to fit exercise into your schedule when it doesn鈥檛 require you to leave your house.
PHOTO: Zing Images
Do short, high-intensity workouts.
If you鈥檙e able to, you may want to consider switching things up when you鈥檙e really busy and opting for a short, high-intensity workout instead of something longer. So, instead of a 45-minute treadmill session, try a 15-minute HIIT workout. Workouts don鈥檛 have to be long to be effective 鈥� sometimes just 15 minutes of really pushing yourself is just as good.
PHOTO: simonkr
Think positive.
If you wake up every day thinking, 鈥淯gh, I don鈥檛 have time for a workout,鈥� then guess what? You鈥檙e probably not going to work out, because you鈥檝e basically already decided that it鈥檚 impossible. But if you wake up thinking of it as a challenge to tackle 鈥� 鈥淚 might be busy, but I can definitely make time for this!鈥� 鈥� then you will be more likely to make time for it. Positive thinking is so powerful, even if you don鈥檛 realize it.
PHOTO: Luis Alvarez
Choose a gym that鈥檚 close by.
Going to a gym that takes more than 20 minutes to get to isn鈥檛 going to work out unless you have a lot of extra time in your day. Try to pick a gym really close to your home, nearby the office, or at least on your commute home. It鈥檚 so much easier to stop in when you鈥檙e close by: You can head over there on your lunch hour, right when you wake up, or on your way home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get creative!
Really don鈥檛 have time to schedule in a sweat session? Start getting creative. If you need to clean the house, do a few squats every time you bend down to dust under the coffee table. Do some lunges as you pick up the kids' toys. Jog in place while waiting for pasta water to boil. Get the baby to take a nap by going for a run or walk around the block with the stroller. It might just be a few minutes, but that adds up 鈥� and it's definitely better than nothing!
PHOTO: Peathegee Inc
Make your commute your workout.
It鈥檚 not possible for everyone, but many people are able to make their commute a workout instead of spending precious time driving or taking public transportation. Riding a bike or jogging to work is a great way to get your workout in while also getting where you need to go.
PHOTO: Westend61
Get the kids involved.
Want to exercise but also need to keep an eye on your little ones? Get them involved! If you have a small baby, go for long walks together or get a jogging stroller once they鈥檙e old enough. If you have little kids, find a gym that has a babysitting room to care for them while you work out, or find a class that allows you to bring them along. You can even get them to work out with you by playing active games at home.
PHOTO: Westend61
Sacrifice your lunch hour.
You don鈥檛 always need to ditch lunch hour 鈥� sometimes the break is needed 鈥� but if you鈥檙e having a particularly busy day, head to the gym to work out during lunch, then eat at your desk, if possible. It鈥檚 nice to get that work out done while you鈥檙e still on the clock, and it鈥檚 a good way to re-energize so you can get through the rest of the afternoon.
PHOTO: xavierarnau
Take advantage of every situation.
Have to spend the afternoon at your kid鈥檚 soccer practice? Instead of just sitting in the stands watching, jog around the field a few times while they play. Dialing in to a conference call? If it鈥檚 just over the phone, work out while listening in. Spending your whole day at the office? Swap your chair for a stability ball. Little things like this can be effective if you work them in throughout the week.
PHOTO: Ella uzan
Invest in equipment.
If you never have time to hit the gym but you love working out on a treadmill, elliptical, stair master, or something similar, then consider investing in a workout machine. If it鈥檚 in your home, it鈥檚 hard to find reasons not to use it. Plus, you can work out while catching up on your favorite TV show, reading a book, studying, calling into a meeting, watching your kids鈥� the list is kind of endless. It might come with a hefty price tag, but the investment could be well worth it in the end.
PHOTO: Sasha Shtepo
Sleep in your workout clothes.
Want to work out in the morning but having trouble getting motivated when you鈥檙e half asleep? Try sleeping in your workout clothes instead of pajamas so that when you wake up, you鈥檙e ready to roll out of bed and go!
PHOTO: JGI/Jamie Grill
It's not as impossible as you may think!
A single day goes by quickly. One minute you鈥檙e waking up with expectations of what you鈥檙e going to accomplish, and the next thing you know you鈥檙e climbing into bed at night thinking, 鈥淲ell, there鈥檚 always tomorrow.鈥� When you鈥檙e really busy, certain things have to get pushed 鈥� and for many people, that means exercise can fall by the wayside.
But here鈥檚 the thing: While you sometimes are genuinely too overloaded to get a workout in, most of the time you just need to try a little bit harder. Working out regularly is a commitment, and as such, it requires time and energy. You can definitely figure out a way to make exercise a daily habit, even with a hectic schedule, if you stop allowing your calendar to be your excuse. Here鈥檚 how to make time for exercise even when it seems impossible.