I am guilty of it too, making excuse after excuse for why I cannot workout.
My son was up all night with a cough.
I can’t find my tennis shoes under all this laundry.
Whatever the reason, we all find ways not to make time to exercise in our busy schedules.
As moms, life happens and that’s ok!
As a mom of twins, my days are filled with chasing kids around. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my busy days, but the importance of a good workout cannot be underestimated. It’s my fuel. I am a better mom when I make time to exercise.
Can I get an amen mamas?
So, without going on and on, letting this post become yet another excuse to avoid the gym, here is the ONE SECRET that will help you make time exercise at least a few times a week.
CARVE OUT TIME FOR EXERCISE IN YOUR SCHEDULE AND WRITE IT DOWN!
Yup, you need to WRITE IT DOWN!
Not only will this help hold you accountable to yourself, but it will also serve as a reminder that YOU TOO are just as important as those swim lessons or karate classes!
At the beginning of each week I make an ambitious to-do list that includes ALL of the things I hope to accomplish.
I backwards plan my week, writing it all down, including things like, grocery shopping, playdates, pre-school, date nights…and you guessed it… a little bit of ME TIME! The trick is scheduling my workouts FIRST!
I literally write down the date and time for my workouts on my planner, in a bright, slightly obnoxious color, like it is a doctor’s appointment or a job that I cannot miss. Sometimes I workout with my kids by running around the park or by doing a quick workout video during nap time and sometimes my workouts are kid free. Don’t forget to grab our printable planner pages and gain access to our FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY here!
Either way, by treating my workouts as a scheduled activity, I can guarantee that I make time in my week for exercise, which for me, is a MUST! Being active is important for me and my kids, but it also helps teach them the healthy lifestyle habits that I find valuable. When I come back from a workout I feel like a more energized, focused and patient woman….which is a win for my entire family!
THERE IS ONE RULE: I don’t get down on myself when life happens and I miss a workout. WHY?
Well, what good does beating yourself up do? It certainly isn’t helping to motivate me the next day!
Life happens. Move on!
Give yourself some grace and start fresh tomorrow, this time making your health and sanity a priority!
On the flip side, when I do accomplish my exercise goals for the week, I reward myself in a small way. Maybe it’s an extra glass of wine on Friday night or a peaceful 30 minute bubble bath, but the reward motivates me to keep up my focus for the next week.
And when I am having a bad day and I see that I have scheduled some exercise, but my kids have drawn all over the walls with crayon, I do everything I can to still get outside and walk. I know that it’ll at least give me 20 minutes, with my crazed toddlers strapped in a stroller, to clear my head!
Give it a try, I guarantee you will have so much more success when you just WRITE IT DOWN!
Download these printable planner pages from our FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY to not only help you organize your week, but to also help you fit a few workouts into your busy week!
Having a hard time finding “me time”? Check out our thoughts here.
Is guilt keeping you from taking a little time for yourself? We have some ideas for you here.
How do you find time to workout when you are busy raising kids? Share your ideas with us in the comments below!
