We’ve all heard it. Exercise so important for all of us, especially working adults and entrepreneurs who are often caught up in the daily grind of completing projects and meeting deadlines.
We know exercise will make us healthier, increase our energy, allow us to sleep better, and possibly even contribute to increasing our happiness. Yet and still, some of us continually put it on the back burner – sometimes without notice.
Setting a goal to be healthier doesn’t mean much when you don’t take the necessary action steps to work toward that goal regularly. As entrepreneurs, regular exercise can help us with the productivity and energy we need day in and day out. Since time is one of the biggest obstacles, here are a few ways that entrepreneurs can make time for exercise.
Put It On The Calendar
Just like any other important task or meeting, create a spot on your calendar for exercise. I tend to list out 3 ‘must-dos’ each day that I need to accomplish no matter what is going on. On days when I work out, heading to the gym is always on my top 3 priority list.
Just saying you will exercise is not good enough. You actually need to plan out when it where it will take place to ensure you’ll have the time and availability. Just think of it as another task for your business. You probably won’t say that you don’t have time for a team meeting, or a surprise project so don’t downplay exercise either.
Morning Exercise
One of the best ways to fit exercise into your schedule is to get it done first thing in the morning. If you’re an early riser, get into the habit of adding fitness to your morning routine.
You might even have to wake up slightly earlier to pull it off if you’re going to have a busy day. However, the feeling of having your workout complete with a full day still ahead of you is unmatched.
Walk Or Jog During Your Break
One of the perks of being self-employed is that you have more control over when you work and how you spend your time. You can use that to your advantage when it comes to finding time to exercise.
Squeeze in some time for fitness when you stretch your legs throughout the day. During a brief break, go on a 10-minute brisk walk or run. If you need to run a nearby errand, try walking or riding your bike there instead of driving.
Make It Social
All business owners need a social life in order to stay sane and disconnect from their projects and work tasks. Why not use some of your social time to exercise with friends and accountability partners. Group fitness classes really helped me find the time and motivation to exercise regularly.
Since I work from home, it can get quite lonely so I enjoyed getting out of the house and working out with other people. Now, I meet up with a friend twice a week to exercise at the gym. I hardly ever cancel because I like working out with my friend and I know she will be waiting for me so it feels like an appointment I’d rather not cancel.
Summary
No matter how busy you are running a business, one of the biggest lies you can tell yourself is that you don’t have time to exercise or put your health first. Really question your spare time and consider if there are any gaps you could fill with a quick work out.
Determine which days and times would work best for you and commit to them.
