If you’re struggling with a lack of time, below are some of the most effective tips you can use to make more time for exercise. It’s not a question of finding more time because we all get the same amount of hours in the day – it’s about using your time more wisely, and that’s what the advice below is about.
There are certain chores you either do daily or weekly that take up a lot of time you could otherwise spend exercising. While hiring someone to perform all of them would probably be too expensive for many people, hiring someone to spend two or three hours a week to clean your home shouldn’t pose a problem for the monthly budget.
Consider it an investment in your health. If you can free up two or three hours a week that you can spend exercising, you’ll reduce the risk of numerous preventable, costly diseases. Weekly cleaning costs nothing when compared to high medical-related costs (including insurance, doctor visits, prescriptions, lost time, etc.).
You can find help with services like the TaskRabbit app or on sites with classifieds. Alternatively, look for a local maid services company.
This piece of advice is even more important for entrepreneurs and freelancers who work at home and spend time doing low-output tasks that could be outsourced to others, thus enabling you to spend more time on high-output activities.
If you’re having a hard time outsourcing some of your daily or weekly tasks, calculate your hourly rate and consider how much cleaning costs you a week in terms of lost income. If you’re not willing to work for less than $50 per hour, but you spend 2 hours a week cleaning (that would cost $50 when hiring a home cleaner), you’re losing $50 a week.
Let’s assume there’s absolutely no way you can make time for exercise with your current schedule. You have so many things to do, and it’s impossible to get rid of any of these tasks. Okay, fine. Then how about replacing how you perform certain daily habits?
There’s the age old idea of bike commuting. I’m not a huge proponent of it (just because I understand how bike-unfriendly some cities can be and how horrible it is to cycle during the winter), but it can be an option to consider during the spring and summer. Often, you can get to work more quickly on your bike than in your car because you can skip the heavy traffic.
One of the tennis courts I go to is about 20 minutes away from my apartment by car. When I once rode a bike there during peak hours, it took me maybe five minutes more and I got an additional 50 minutes of exercise while spending just 10 minutes more on it when compared to driving.
Another idea is that when you need to have a long phone call, go on a walk. You’re going to spend this time on the phone anyway, so why not take a walk if you don’t need to have anything specific (documents, computer, etc.) within your reach?
If you don’t have time to go to the gym, create a gym in your home, garage, or basement. I have a gym in my basement. If I didn’t have it, I would have to spend an additional 30 minutes driving to a local gym, which would add up to 90 minutes a week of wasted time.
Buying basic equipment will probably be more expensive than a monthly pass to the gym, but you’ll quickly recoup your investment by saving time and money on future gym passes. It’s also easier on your willpower if you have a gym in a room nearby and not in a building a few miles away.
If you can’t set up a home gym, carry your gym gear (or anything else you need to practice the sport of your choice) in your car so you don’t need another trip home after work.
My friend often has an Aerobie (a flying ring) in the trunk of his car during the summer. If we meet up, we can take it and throw it to each other, thus getting some enjoyable exercise while catching up.
Who said that you always have to meet with your friends for coffee or go on a date to a restaurant? Get more creative. Take your date or your friend somewhere else where you both can get some exercise and enjoy yourselves. Consider:
- a hiking trip with a friend. Best left for the weekends, it’s a great way to get some exercise and recharge your batteries.
- indoor climbing with a date. Stand out by taking him or her to a more exciting place than a local restaurant or cinema.
- weekend kayaking with your partner. Explore the world from a different perspective and get some adrenaline pumping.
- buy an Aerobie, a Frisbee on steroids. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend afternoon with a group, friends, or your family.
- take a walk. If you’re going to meet with your friend and talk anyway, why not talk while walking around the local lake, in a park, or on a forest trail?
- go cycling. That’s one of the primary ways I get exercise during the spring and summer with one of my friends. During the colder months, we replace it with walks.
Most new smartphones can be turned into a pedometer with a free app. Once you’re aware of the number of steps you take every single day, you can turn it into a game – while not necessarily spending a lot more time on it (for instance, you’ll choose stairs over the elevator so you can clock in more steps).
A rule of a thumb is to get 10,000 steps a day. Remember that you not only take steps when exercising, but also when doing your daily chores or just walking about the house.
If you’re into numbers and data, consider buying a proper fitness tracker. The more you can gamify exercise, the easier it will be to start and keep doing it – while not necessarily spending more time during the day on it.
If you’re extremely busy, you can still squeeze in a few minutes of exercise a day. For instance, install a pull-up bar in your home and do a pull-up (or just do the negative phase of the movement by lowering your body) each time you pass it. It will add up to at least a few reps a day, and that’s at least some exercise you wouldn’t otherwise get.
Another idea is to take micro breaks (1-2 minutes) every 30-60 minutes or so to do 10 squats or a few push-ups or just walk around the office or your home.
Again, this type of exercise shouldn’t become your primary way of getting some physical activity, but it’s still valuable if you can’t afford spending more time on exercise on a given day.