10 Ways Busy Professionals Can Make Time to Work Out
Most of us feel busy…most of the time.
After a long day of overloaded inboxes, demanding coworkers, and the latest episode of your favorite binge-worth obsessions begging to be watched, making time for a workout can quickly plummet to the bottom of the to-do list.
Today’s a bust, better luck tomorrow.
Yet, “get healthy” is a goal many of us strive for.
The benefit of regular exercise goes beyond any obligatory New Year’s resolution aimed at finally shedding those pesky 8 pounds.
Time devoted to exercise gives back throughout the day.
When you exercise regularly, you’re more focused which means you’re able to get more done throughout the day. A task that used to take you 2 hours, may only take you 1 when you come at them with a freshly worked-out brain.
Your daily exercise could be fueling an untapped pool of hours just waiting to be put to good use.
To start reaping the exercise benefits, here are 10 ways to keep your workouts on your schedule, no matter what your busy day throws at you.
#1 Find a workout time that works for you
I’ll always be an advocate for the early morning workout.
This schedule helps you get your workout in before the chaos of the day starts and excuses begin to pile up. You’ll also get that immediate exercise focus benefit as you open your laptop to start your day.
However, it is more important to find a time that works for you. For example, if you deal with clients in early time zones and often have early morning meetings, you may consider an afternoon lunchtime workout. Or you may prefer dropping by the gym as part of your commute home.
Experiment with a few different times until you find the one that sticks.
#2 Short workouts still count
Every workout doesn’t have to be an hour-long sweat sesh at your local gym.
A 15-minute walk or bodyweight training in your basement may be all you can fit in some days. That’s better than nothing. In fact, that’s pretty damn good.
Making time for short workouts helps to build your workout habit.
When you get used to fitting in a short workout no matter what, you’ll miss fewer days. It will make it that much easier to make time for a longer session when your calendar allows for it. And you’ll quickly be able to identity as “someone who works out.”
#3 Three times a week is a habit
Speaking of habits, as time management author Laura Vanderkam explains in her book Tranquility by Tuesday, three times a week is a habit.
Similar to the above, you don’t have to crush it at the gym seven days a week to feel like you’re successfully making time to work out.
Shoot for three days.
Find just three times a week you can make a workout happen then commit to that routine. You can always increase from there if you choose, but you’ll first build some momentum and confidence by successfully sticking to your three.
#4 Combine exercise with other priorities
Working out more frequently is likely not your only goal.
Like most of us, you probably have many other priorities pulling at your time. So why not combine working out with the other activities you’re working into your schedule?
For example, if you have a goal to spend more time with friends, consider a kickboxing class before a quick coffee date. Or turn on your favorite audiobook while you run on the treadmill to fit your reading goals alongside your workout goals.
What other activities can you combine with a workout?
#5 Find moments for invisible exercise
Working out doesn’t have to strictly be limited to a gym setting or a structured exercise routine.
Try finding moments throughout your day where you can fit in some quick reps.
For instance, you could commit to ten squats whenever a meeting ends. Or do calf raises while you brush your teeth (just be prepared to embrace the strange looks from your spouse…)
In fact, do you know how I achieved a pretty ambitious pull-up goal? No, it wasn’t a perfectly crafted exercise sequence targeting all the right muscle groups. Instead, every day before lunch, I perform at least one pullup. It takes only minutes and has helped me progress to being able to bust out 10 pull-ups whenever the need arises. Which has been an awesome accomplishment (and makes me feel like a bit of a badass. Bonus!)
Invisible workout moments add up.
#6 Work Out at home
Going to a gym or a fitness class can be fun and motivating.
But some days, you may just not have time for the added commute and coordination. So make the most of your personal at-home gym, even if it is just the corner of the living room.
If you’re not sure where to start, pull up YouTube and search for whatever you’re in the mood for. Love your Pilates class? Find one on YouTube. Don’t have any equipment at home? Search for bodyweight workouts. Only have 15 minutes? Search for a 15-minute workout. Or check out The ‘No-Time’ Workout Guide for 15 workout ideas you can fit into any time crunch (try my personal favorite: The Coyote.)
Your home gym is free, easy, and quick. You don’t have to overcomplicate it!
#7 Choose efficient workouts
Choose workouts that deliver maximum results in minimal time.
My favorites are HIIT or Tabata-style workouts. These workouts alternate short periods of intense exercise with less intense recovery periods. They are highly effective and, my friends, can be done in 20-30 minutes.
This is a surefire way to get in a quick and sweat-filled workout even when you’re short on time.
(The ‘No-Time’ Workout Guide includes a sample HIIT and Tabata-style workout to get you started.)
#8 Schedule time to work out
Time for the trusty calendar and a little time management (would you expect anything less from me?)
You must decide when you can make a workout happen if you are serious about sticking with an exercise routine.
Schedule your workouts like you do important meetings. Make them non-negotiable. Pick the time you’re going to work out and how often. Then schedule it on your calendar and show up for yourself. You are in control of your schedule. Schedule it and make it stick.
#9 Give yourself permission to make your workout a priority
We make time for what we prioritize.
You have to decide that working out deserves a top slot on your to-do list. This may mean removing the guilt associated with making yourself a priority. Give yourself permission to prioritize your physical and mental health with a workout. It will not only benefit you, but those around you as you show up more focused and happy, ready to tackle the day.
When you make working out a priority, that means you schedule time for workouts first. Then work other tasks around that appointment. Your workout comes first. YOU come first.
#10 Exercise for your 80-year-old body, not your summer body
Remember those “pesky 8 pounds” you’re obsessing about? They won’t matter in 20+ years.
What will matter is if you’re able to comfortably walk up and down your stairs or run your own errands or rearrange your furniture when you get a whim to redecorate.
Your “why” is everything.
If your workout “why” is to punish yourself for eating that extra cookie last night, no wonder you want to skip it. But if your “why” is to build a strong, healthy, and competent body that will serve you in the long run, you may finally release some of your workout perfection and make time for those workout moments wherever you can fit them.
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Please note that the information provided in this She Boss Life article cannot replace individual advice from health professionals. Please consult your physician before starting a new fitness program.
About Me
Hi, I’m Kara. I’m a former workaholic turned time-management expert. I help women stressed out in their 9-5 get more done, in less time, so they can get back in the driver’s seat and start living a life they love.
