If It’s Not Part Of The Solution, It’s Part Of The Problem

There are 7 days in a week, 24 hours in one of those days, and therefore 10,080 minutes to each of our weeks. Sounds like a lot right? Then why do 6 out of 10 Americans state the reason for inactivity and lack of exercise to be “lack of time?”  There is likely a different culprit at work here depending on the person, their lifestyle, work, etc.; however, one thing is clear and isn’t normally comprehended until they are forced via health issues or upcoming events (weddings, reunions, etc.) to find time for fitness – time management.

Take a second and think about your regular daily schedule… Are you the “long-days worker” at the house that gets up hours before the sun comes up and doesn’t return until after the rest of the family has had dinner? Are you the hard-working mother who gets up with your husband to help get his stuff ready for work, then do it all over again with the kids to get them ready for school, only to be followed by errands all day before picking the kids back up to go to their next function? As Fitness Professionals we have seen it all and heard every predicament that compromises a schedule’s ability to let you get some fitness in, and can 100% assure you that there is no schedule or person’s life that doesn’t provide enough time and ability to get a regular workout schedule going.

Although this can be accomplished much easier with the experience and guidance of a Fit Pro, it is not impossible to do so on your own. In a minute we are going to give you a time management checklist to enable you to fit-fit in your schedule, but first let’s take a closer look at what is going on here.

You have likely heard it before, thought it before, and possibly even tried it and failed before – fitting a workout into a tough schedule is like trying to build shelter with no tools, not impossible but incredibly difficult and almost always results in giving up early. What most tight-schedule individuals do is follow the same thought process:

• How long do I need to exercise and how many days do I do it?
• Which will work better for me, before work or after work?
• If I do it at lunch I’ll go back to work sweaty.
•  If I do it at home after dropping the kids off I will have to go home and workout, then shower before running my errands.

What typically happens is they see far too many questions to sit down and address, so getting back into a fitness routine and planning their schedule gets sidelined, until now!
Disablers & Enablers
If you are one of the millions that feel like your schedule is far too tight to get a steady workout regimen in place, the very first thing you have to do is identify your “Disablers” and your “Enablers.” Your enablers are obviously the factors or persons within your schedule of which will or have in the past done well at facilitating you fitting a solid 20minute-1 hour workout in 3-4 days a week. Sit down and write down these “enablers” and understand that you are going to have to utilize these in order to ensure success. Your disablers are those factors (or people) that either have gotten in the way in the past or that you predict could cause you trouble when trying to schedule at least 20-minutes of workout in for yourself. The trick here that most people don’t take advantage of: learning how to turn a previously thought of “disabler” into a newfound “enabler.”

Your typical enablers are such things as:

• You have a workout facility at your work
• When you drop the kids off at school (or practice, etc.) you have not only the field or track at the school, but also have a few private studios just down the road with a few trainers that can schedule you 15 minutes after you drop the kids off.

Your typical disablers are such troubles as:

• You get to work really early and often times don’t leave until late.
• You have to get your husband’s stuff ready for work, only to be followed by getting the kids ready for school
• After getting the kids to school you always have numerous errands and tasks that take up most of the day.
• You’re a night owl and not a morning person; Vise Versa.

Of course in your individual situation and schedule, you’re going to be able to identify various other enablers and disablers of which aren’t listed above. The point here is to get the gist of “enablers” and “disablers,” so that you can list them and learn to use most/all of them on your path to fitness success. Grab your planner, pen, kid’s or work’s calendar and let’s get right down to it. Here we are going to cover a few of the common disablers we have heard in the past and explain just as we would to a client how this disabler can now become an enabler:
 “I go to work early and get off way too late”

• Although this does mean your time is more limited, it does point to the fact that getting up early isn’t a trouble for you as well as the fact that you are habituated with being productive later in the day. This means early morning workouts and afternoon workouts are both viable options for you!
• Set your alarm for 30-45 minutes earlier than normal and workout before work. This will not only jumpstart your fat burning machine, but also awaken your brain and allow you to function at a higher rate once you get to work (ever seen the movie “Limitless?”)
• Contact private studios around and inquire about their shower facilities and what they provide. Determine whether there is a trainer available during this time and if so, all you have to do is show up!
• If a trainer isn’t for you, see about getting a workout plan designed by a trainer, for you to complete at home before work. Most trainers will do this for a little more than the cost of one session. Repeat monthly or every 6 weeks and you are set!
• If a workout plan by a trainer isn’t your ideal choice, you can always try the popular DVD’s (P90x, Insanity, etc.) or even check with your cable/satellite provider to see if there is a channel than provides workouts such as FitTV. These DVD’s and television workouts won’t be as good as an actual Personal Trainer face to face with you, but something is better than nothing.
• Check with some of your co-workers and see if they want to get a quick 20-30 minute workout with you at your lunch break or even as soon as you finish work.

“I have to get up early to get my husband ready for work, then turn around and get the kids ready and take them to school as well. Then I have numerous errands and tasks all day.”

• Here the most obvious factor is that afternoon workouts are nearly impossible for you due to kids pickup, kids after school activities, plus dinner prep etc. On the positive side, this means getting up early isn’t new for you so morning workouts are a viable option. In  addition, you have a few gaps here and there throughout the day before and between errands of which provide time for a solid workout!
• You’re already going to be getting up early to get your husband’s stuff ready for work, so why not set your alarm for 30-45 minutes before normal and get your workout in first? You could even see if your husband wants to get up and workout with you!

So you are not too fond of the idea of getting up 30-45 minutes earlier than normal to get your workout in? No worries, here is the plan:

• OPTION #1: Get up at normal time, get your husband ready, get the kids ready and take them to school. Now you know you have a list of tasks and errands to get done today, but they will go a lot more smoothly with a calorie-burning, endorphin releasing workout. Head to the private personal training studio just down from your kid’s school and get your workout in right quick! Using this method after your drop the kids off at school, all you have to do is show up and let the trainer handle the rest. No guess work, exercise decision making, lack of focus because the errands are occupying your mind – it’s all taken care of by your trainer.
• OPTION #2: If a trainer isn’t for you, you still have options. When you pack the kids bags for school go ahead and pack yours too. This way as soon as you drop the kids off you can go ahead and head outside to the track or field at the school and get your workout in. You might even get an approval from the Superintendent or Principal and be able to bring a few bands/gadgets to help spice up your workout, but the playground and your surroundings should provide most things needed for a solid workout outdoors IF you know how to improvise (contact FM to learn how to turn everyday stuff into workout equipment).
• OPTION #3: Chat with a few of your kid’s friend’s mothers, you will likely find that you have a few of them with the same predicament! Using this option you can chat it over with the other mothers (or fathers) and either workout at the track/field/playground together, or take advantage of the group rates for Personal Training at the studio just down the road! Most private studios will give dramatically lower rates for groups of 2-5 people training at once. If you have 5+ moms and dads, you might even convince the studio to put together a private Boot Camp for you guys/gals for that exact time that works best for you and save yourself some serious dough!

So there you have it, although time management in producing time for your workouts can be accomplished much easier with the experience and guidance of a Fit Pro, it is not impossible to do so on your own. If you are one of our readers that feel like your schedule is far too tight to get a steady workout regimen in place, you first have to identify your “Disablers” and your “Enablers,” then make a plan of how to convert those disablers into enablers. With 7 days in a week, 24 hours in one of those days, and therefore 10,080 minutes to each of our weeks it is not impossible to develop a steady exercise program – it simply requires planning, consistency, and commitment to your workouts. Write your workouts in your planner as if it’s your wedding or a job interview, meaning this time of that particular day is non-negotiable! 
BONUS!
To get you started with a solid workout on a tight schedule, we put together a workout outline that will allow you to get your workout completed in minimal time, with little to no equipment, and anywhere you want to perform it! Enjoy!

“Multiples of 5” Workout

• 20 minutes total
• 15 repetitions per exercise
• 10 exercises of your choice
• 5 sets of each exercise
• Sample:

(1)Pushups   (2)Squats   (3)Windmills   (4)Lunges    (5)Shadow Boxing     (6)Laying Leg Raises                 (7)Burpee-up/down     (8)Mountain Climbers    (9)V-Up Crunch     (10) Ski-Lateral Jumps

“What fits your busy schedule better, exercising one hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?” -Randy Glasbergen, Cartoonist

For help with your schedule and planning your workouts into your time management, contact Fitness Mastermind now. We specialize in making our schedule fit around yours and making you priority #1.

Until Next Time!

Keep it fit,

Fitness Mastermind, LLC