Creating time for Exercise

I am a mom of 2 (a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old girl), I am a full time teacher, a tutor, a blogger, and a lover of running, yoga, and working out. I am busy, yes, and I could easily come up with numerous excuses as to why this point in my life is not the right time to have an exercise routine.

Here are my top three excuses that still run through my head DAILY:

• My kids & dog rarely sleep through the night. Most nights all of them are ending up in my bed. Which means I have been woken up throughout the night when they initially needed me and then woken up through the nights as I get kicked repeatedly while they sleep peacefully.
• Morning routine is hectic! Our kids are not the fastest in the morning getting ready, and one is super difficult to wake up. Waking her up generally requires a lot of cuddling from mommy, not ideal if mommy needs to shower and get herself out the door too.
• I’ll workout after the kids go to bed… Who am I kidding, after the morning routine chaos, working all day, then some days tutoring, other days home making supper, and doing bedtime routine, I’m lucky if I am still awake past 8pm, let alone have energy to workout.

So, how do I combat these excuses? How do I find time for myself? I don’t really “find” the time, I create it.

1. I’m Realistic about it

I know right now it is not the most feasible for me to try and leave the house to go to a gym or an exercise class as often as I would like. If I’m leaving the house to exercise, I want it to be something fun as a family, or for a run. What I am realistically able to do routinely is working out from home. It’s always open, the weather doesn’t affect my commute, and I don’t need a babysitter

2. I Schedule it

Currently for me the time that works best is waking up at 4:45 am and pressing play no later than 5. I know evening workouts do not work for me. I am too tired and it gives me an energy boost at the end of the day, when really I need that boost at the beginning of the day. Pressing play at 5 allows me to have my workout in before any human is awake. My dog has my back for this too, he knows I should be waking up at 4:45, so he often gets me up at 4:30 to let him outside…..

3. I Prep for it

The night before I lay out my workout clothes, or sometimes I wear them to bed. I have a bottle of water ready to go in the fridge and I have my computer set up and my workout spaced cleared. This reduces some excuses in the morning and allows me to press play often before I even realize I’m out of bed.

4. I Write it out
I print off a paper copy of the month and write my workouts on that. I post it in my workout space so that I don’t have to choose or spend time figuring out what I am doing in the morning. Sometimes I write it in my daily planner too. That way when I am picking out my outfit at night I can have an idea of what type of clothing would be more suitable for the workout. If it’s a yoga workout, I will tend to wear warmer clothing then say a cardio workout where I know I am going to be sweating in the first 5 minutes.


5. I Limit it

I know the time limits that work for me at this point in my life. There is an amazing program that I would love to do, however, I really can’t bring myself to move that alarm clock to 4:30 am just so I can do a program that is 60 min a day. My limit is right around the 45 min per day mark. I know that is a time that I can consistently create everyday. Ask me how excited I am that my next program is only 20 minutes a day!

6. I Commit to it

Think I’m crazy waking up at 4:45 am? Well there is a group of us that are up at that same time together and at the end we all check in with each other. Knowing I’m not the only one getting out of bed at that hour helps and knowing they are expecting to hear from me after my workout is a huge motivator. There are others in my group who check in periodically throughout the day, at the times that work for them and their schedules.

7. I Chunk it

I don’t like to set goals like “I’m going to workout every day for the next 365 days” That to me sounds HUGE and daunting. If I missed a day, I would be done, that goal would be done. So I chunk my exercise in the form of programs. 30 days of yoga, sure. 8 weeks of weight lifting and cardio, sure. 6 weeks of a new step program, definitely! These timelines are doable for me. I know when the program is over that I am going to choose another program, but it’s easier for me to look 6 or 8 weeks as a goal as opposed to 365 days.

8. I Explain it

As I said, I have a 4 and a 2 year old, and while 90% of my workouts are done while they are still in slumberland, there are days and times when my workout happens during their waking hours. So I explain it to them. I tell them where I am going to be, how long I am going to be, what they are allowed to do while I am exercising, and what we will do when I am done. My workout space is next to their play space, so generally they either watch tv or play. Sometimes I give them snacks and by the time they are done their snacks, so am I. Sometimes I move my workout space so I can watch them at the same time (especially if I’m giving them snacks). Sometimes they join me. If I know the kids are going to be around when I’m working out, I try to keep the workout to 30 minutes or less. That’s about the amount of time I can count on for them to give me without too many interruptions. But if they do interrupt throughout, there’s this awesome little pause button I can press too.


9. I Reflect on it

I take before and after measurements so I can calculate my results. I take progress pictures so I can see my results. But the most important one is, I am constantly reflecting on how I feel. This allows me to understand how I am progressing. That is the most important to me. I commit to exercising for myself so that I can have more energy for my kids and my students. I want to have more patience for everyone in my life. I want a way that I can let go of stress in a healthy way. I want to take care of my health so I can be around as long as possible and enjoy life with my kids and husband. I want to be physically fit so that I can be active with my kids, and maybe someday my grandkids

10. I Celebrate it

I celebrate my successes everyday with a little x in a calendar box that says I have completed that part of my program. I celebrate completed programs with either the purchase of my next one, a glass of wine, a new shirt, a night out, new workout gear, or just recently, a week of yoga. I do something to recognize my accomplishment and then move on to my next goal.

Are you ready to create time for you?

• Figure out what is realistic for you
• What time of day or what days of the week are going to work for you
• Write it on a calendar
• What can you do the night before to make it easier
• Do you have time limits?
• Get a partner or a group to support you
• How long will your first program or goal be?
• Do you need to explain it to anyone to make it easier?
• Take your before pictures
• Take your before measurements
• Figure out your why
• Write it down your why somewhere so that you will see it
• Celebrate big and small successes

If you fall off the wagon, which I have done plenty of times, don’t get down on yourself. Don’t give up. Just start again today, because tomorrow you will wish you had started again yesterday.