Fitting Workouts Into a Busy Schedule

It's spring time and our schedules tend to get busier. We fill our evenings and weekends with cookouts, spectator sports and other social events. While many tend to amp up their training and workouts in, for others it can be difficult to fit them in with so many other social engagements. It has taken me a few years to figure out how to work around those busy days (sometimes weeks!) and get outside for some exercise. After all, it’s a beautiful time of year!

Here are some of my ideas and tips for workouts that anyone has time for!

Get your workout done in the morning.

This may seem obvious yet it’s often ignored. Waking up early is hard, and not many people want to workout first thing. If you know that you have plans after work that will consume your evening, just accept that you have to get it done in the AM. (Then go throughout the rest of your day knowing you’ve already gotten your workout in!)

Yoga.

Try doing 30, even 20 minutes of yoga or stretching before bed or right after waking up. I love early morning yoga because it can be a good workout yet it’s not high-impact enough for me to dread it.

“Runmute.”

Run (or bike) to work. It may seem daunting at first, especially if you’re not familiar with the best running or biking routes, but once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll wonder why you waited so long!

Cut a workout short, not out.

Don’t cut out a workout entirely just because you don’t have time for the whole thing. If your goal was to run for an hour and you can only find 40 minutes of spare time – run for 40 minutes! 40 minutes is way better than nothing at all.

Get your workout in during lunch.

Pack your lunch for your workday and utilize your lunch break for a workout. You don’t need a gym to get a workout in. Go for a walk around your office building. Go for a run through a nearby park. Do some HIIT training in the parking lot. Bonus points if you can rope in some coworkers to join you. Accountability is everything!

Go without.

Sometimes you may opt to choose your workout over a social engagement. I’ve done this before. It’s about investing in some “you” time. If you’re way too busy all of the time, you may have to do this once in a while to maintain a commitment to your active lifestyle.

Walk/run/bike to your engagements for the evening.

Bring the workout to the party!

If your plans for the evening involve a barbecue with friends, bring some bean-bag toss or ladder-toss for the yard. Set up a backyard bowling alley. Play some badminton. Actually swim in the host’s pool or get into the water (if you’re at a beach).

Work out late at night.

Working out late at night doesn’t have to be a last-minute chore. Running in the dark can be fun and exciting! (Be safe: wear reflective gear.) In certain areas, the temperatures cool down nicely to accommodate outdoor workouts as well. On the flip side, if you’re a gym-goer, many more machines will be available to you in the late hours of the night!

Involve your friends/coworkers in your workouts.

On the weekends, I love to plan hiking trips with my friends. A full day spent hiking is an incredible workout. It is also a perfect group activity for people whose fitness levels vary! The same can be said for other activities that you can do with friends such as tennis, biking, volleyball, or golf!

Take a rest day.

If you’re up against a day that’s just too jam packed to fit anything in, take a rest day. They can be beneficial for your physical health as well as your mental health! Most people aren’t quite as busy as they think they are. Workouts don’t need to take up a bunch of time. Let’s take advantage of the beautiful weather to get outside and start moving!

Main Photo Credit: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com; First Photo Credit: lzf/Shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: astarot/Shutterstock.com