One of the most commonly uttered phrases we hear in the fitness industry is, “ I just don’t have time to workout”.
For most of us, that certainly feels true most days! But is it true or do we simply need to rethink how we are spending our time? There is no question that life is busy, and we completely understand and agree that finding the time to workout can be a challenge, but let’s see if we can’t flip that script…is this really about time, or is it actually about priorities?
Let’s change the phrase, “I don’t have the time” to “ I won’t make the time”. We are all busy, and we are all on the same clock, so what’s actually holding you back?!
There are 24 hours in a day. A standard workday is eight hours, and we spend about eight hours sleeping (hopefully). That leaves eight glorious hours for the rest of what life holds. Making meals, dating, driving kids around, laundry, pets, studying, Netflix…the list goes on and on and on! But do all those things add up to eight hours? They could, but only because we let them.
For generations, women have been expected to make everyone else around us happy, before catering to our own needs. This is something we have to change, and as a start, it can be as simple as putting ourselves much higher on that to-do list. Your happiness should not be contingent on the happiness of those around you. We are each responsible for our own well being, and playing the role of martyr does not lead to contentment, but more likely, resentment. Refer to the old adage of donning your own oxygen mask before attending to others; we cannot care for everyone else without burning ourselves out eventually. YOU must be a priority in your own life!
We must also look at the complacency factor. How much time are you wasting? Yes, it’s been a long day, and that couch may be calling, but you don’t have to answer – at least not right away! Three trips around the 30 Minute Hit circuit adds up to just 90 minutes. You could create a happier, healthier you in less time than it takes to watch a movie! Just three times a week, Hit the bags before you hit the couch, it’s that simple!
And one healthy choice leads to another. If we can make a few simple changes to our priority list, the list itself will change to include more positive things and any of the bad habits lingering there will be easier to scrub out altogether. Maybe after your workout, your freshly energized self will spend the evening doing some healthy meal prep instead of hitting that couch as soon as you walk in the door. Maybe the chips will be replaced by some veggies (or at least accompany them!). Maybe you go for a walk or visit with a friend. Your new-found energy will show you how much time you’ve actually got in your day, and how much you’ve been wasting. Being more fit and healthy will help you spend your time in more productive ways, making room for relationships, books, nature, rest – whatever it is you always find yourself, “wishing you had time for”.
There are 720 hours in a month. Attending 30 Minute Hit three times a week is 0.6% of your time over the month. That’s an incredible realization! You can spend less than 1% of your time working on your health and experience life-changing results. The point is, you do have the time. We all do. We simply need to choose how to spend that time more wisely and with our physical and mental well-being held equally as important as anything else we’ve got going on. It’s not about sacrifice, it’s just a matter of redistributing our time.
Adding anything new to our lives and routine can be tricky at first. But ask yourself, is this really about time, or is it about priorities?
Kristi Bieber