What Would You Give To Workout Consistently?

I struggle to work out consistently.

I don’t have a 9-5 job 5 days a week. I work about 3 jobs - all part time - but it means every day is different. Some times I’m out of the door at 7am. Some days I don’t have work until 12 - or even 4pm. Some days my work is solely from home. As well as working like this, I also have a household to run. Ok for two people it isn’t that difficult, but someone does have to buy the food and cook the meals and clean the place. Its not fair to include Elliot as he works 9-5 (actually a lot longer but its that in theory) and spends a lot of time travelling to and from work. In addition to this he often has speaking arrangements and works into the night on his second job. So we are very busy people. We constantly struggle to find time to workout.

Its not so hard for me because I can be flexible. But two days out of seven I can’t control my work schedule. On these two days it is nearly impossible to workout.

We’re trying to figure out a way around it - and what we’re trying at the moment is a concrete time.

Having to get up at six every day is manageable. Getting home after six, wanting a full nights sleep and needing work present a situation that makes it nearly impossible to find time to workout. Our only option at this stage is to sleep a little less and get our workouts in before 6 am. Not desirable - but you have to work with what you already have.

I have found that it is impossible to maintain a routine if you assume you’re going to workout everyday without setting aside a concrete time for it.

So, a solution:

Write down a plan of your week. Write down when you need to leave for work (if you go to work). Write down everything you do. What time you go out, what time you go home. What time you have to start cooking dinner, if you’re home that evening etc. Then calculate how long it takes you to get ready in the morning. Make a judgement call on how much time you REALLY need to get ready! Can you save some time by preparing lunch the night before? Breakfast even? Laying your clothes out the night before? Write down how much time you want to spend with your family/friends, how much time you need for hobbies and other activities.

Lastly, write down how much time you will need for your workout. I think I need around 20 minutes. At a push. Thats really going for it! Then try to fit that into your schedule.

It may not occur at the same time every day. It may not occur every day (Eg, Sat & Sun) - but it would be good if you could include a workout at least 4 times a week. If it is easier to workout on the weekend than the week, then do that. Whatever you do, make sure you set aside a concrete time. Then, make sure you never fill that slot with anything else.

On the film Two Weeks Notice, Hugh Grant’s character splits his day up into segments - half hour segments. He uses four for his hairdresser appointment (!!) and divides the rest up. By segmenting like this, he ensures that he gets everything done. He knows he has half an hour and he works as hard and as fast as he can to achieve his goals. Maybe you could try something like that?

Tagged as: consistency, Hugh Grant, set aside time, Two Weeks Notice, Working out