6 Tips for Balancing Your Busy Schedule with Your Fitness Goals

Whether you’re a professional attempting to build a career, a mother with endless responsibilities, or even a person juggling more than one demanding obligation, busy lifestyles are unfortunately nothing new in the modern world. But for those of us who are always on the move, the same question continues to arise: how can we maintain optimal health when dealing with such a hectic schedule?

Although the answer to this question isn’t quite as straightforward as we might like, there are a number of simple ways to fit an exercise routine into a busy schedule, and here are just some of the most efficient tips that will allow you to achieve your fitness goals:

1.    Use your free time efficiently

While you likely won’t have enough time to devote yourself to an elaborate exercise routine, there are many different periods throughout the day you could use for a shorter workout. For example, if you have a lunch break at work or an hour to yourself when your kids are asleep in the afternoon, you can easily squeeze in a 15 to 30-minute workout into this time slot.

Even finding simple ways to move more during this time, like going for a walk or a quick jog, can have plenty of benefits for your physical and mental health, even though they might seem like small, insignificant changes at first.

2.    Commit to a set schedule

When it comes to exercise, sticking to a schedule is truly crucial. If you don’t plan a fitness routine in advance and set aside enough time to focus on your health, working out will likely fall between the cracks as you devote your attention to more pressing work or family matters. So, try to view exercise as being just as essential as those important meetings or time-sensitive conference calls.

This could mean scheduling an hour each day to motivate yourself at the gym or even deciding to wake up an hour early in order to squeeze a fitness routine into an otherwise hectic schedule; whatever allows you to prioritise your health.

3.    Find workouts you love

Sticking to a fitness routine often means finding enough motivation to actually get up and start moving, and there’s no better way to achieve that than by doing something you love. Of course, the types of exercises you select will depend on your preferences and your personality.

While some would rather do strength training and cardio at the gym, others are more interested in less strenuous activities like swimming and bike riding, walking in nature, or even dancing in the living room. No matter what you choose, just make sure to find activities you truly love and enjoy, in order to stay motivated and focused on improving your health.

4.    Choose the right gear

Sometimes even the simplest of changes can have a large impact. For instance, simply buying beautiful activewear pieces like shorts, leggings, and crop tops might give you the motivation you need to start working out. Such clothing can offer a seamless fit that flatters your figure perfectly, providing you with that much-needed confidence boost to finally enter the gym.

What’s more, flexible, sweat-wicking fabrics will also offer the freedom and comfort you might need from functional activewear, thus allowing you to complete your exercise routine even more efficiently, and helping you look forward to the next workout session.

5.    Go for a practical routine

On the other hand, more practical workout routines can be easier to plan into a busy lifestyle. For example, you can decide to exercise at home by following different YouTube videos and joining online classes, or even opt for those workouts that you could do regardless of your location, such as yoga and interval training.

As these exercises require little to no equipment and preparation to accomplish, you can easily include them in your daily itinerary and perform them even outside of the gym, whether that means working out at home, in your neighbourhood, or even at the office if the space permits.

6.    Set specific fitness goals

Rather than having a more vague objective like “getting into shape”, try to set more specific goals regarding your fitness journey. This could be anything from increasing your weightlifting personal record to cutting down the time it takes you to run a mile, or simply losing a certain amount of weight in the upcoming months.

Regardless of the specific goals you set, working towards clearer, more defined targets is a great way to stay focused and inspired on your fitness journey, and keep yourself going even when your hectic schedule demands you skip a workout.

Wrapping up

Incorporating an effective fitness routine into a busy lifestyle is never an easy task. But simply by scheduling your days better, equipping yourself with the right tools, and setting realistic goals, you will be well on your way towards a healthier and happier life.