‘No Time’ is a Bad Excuse For Not Working Out, Here’s Why

Being busy has become a moniker of success. As a society, we’ve gone from thinking of success as living a balanced life to one where you barely have time to sleep. But here’s the thing — you’re probably not as busy as you think. While it might seem impossible, you can probably find the time to get your heart pumping at least 3–5 times a week.

Here are five suggestions to help you make that workout happen. As they say, few people are mad that they took the time to work out … once they’re done.

If you have 10 minutes between appointments or while you’re waiting for dinner to heat up, there’s your window. Take a brisk walk, do some jumping jacks, bust out a few squats or pushups … whatever you can fit in during that time will help you become healthier and more fit. There are even some great free apps to guide you though these short periods of time when you have them. I personally love SworkIt.

If you’re scrolling through 15 minutes of Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or all of the above before bed every night or right when you wake-up, put the phone down. We’d guess 99% of the time, you’re scrolling mindlessly anyway. Replace that time with a short workout.

Whether it’s a long walk at lunch or shorter walks during the day, take time to sneak in a walk while you’re working. Studies have shown the effectiveness of the Pomodoro method, in which you engage in extreme focus for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. During that break, you can’t check Facebook or mindlessly browse the web. Instead, you have to take a real break — which is what a walk is. Dip outside, wander the halls or best of all, take the stairs if you have access.

READ MORE > A NEW TREND IN WALKING MEETINGS (THANKS, AUSTRALIA)

This one sounds a little hokey, but think of an activity you do on a regular basis that you could amp up. If you normally walk to the bus, speed walk from now on. While you’re cleaning, pump up the tunes and dance while you do it. Turn your dog walk into a run. He might enjoy the run as much as you do! Analyze your daily activities and see where you can up the intensity.

If these suggestions don’t apply to you, we suggest keeping an extremely detailed log of your time for one average week. When you’re done, take a look back at your journal. Is there a place you could be more efficient? A task you could cut out of your life or do less frequently? Something you could outsource? This can be a great exercise to improve your life in more ways than just your health — you never know what you might learn!