Choose You Blog
Three kids, a full-time job, a house, a spouse, errands, pets, friends…life is full. Mine is not unique. I am not unique. Women have so much to do.
It’s hard to find time to be active when my life is so “active.”
I know I could get up earlier, but isn’t getting a decent amount of sleep good for your health too? Why couldn’t that have been one of the Choose You challenges??
Most days I feel like I’m running from one engagement to another. Get up go to work. Finish work get to a baseball game. Game is over get the kids home and into bed. Time to go to sleep. And that’s a weeknight. My weekends are doubly packed.
I’m not complaining. My life is rich. But I need to find time. Thirty minutes. I’ve been trying, but not as successful as I’d hoped. Maybe I have too many interests, too many distractions.
I’m having a hard time giving up things I love to make time for my own health. I need to figure out how to love getting healthy AND do all of those other things.
Any ideas??
4 Responses to “How Do You Stay Active When Life is Busy?”
Leave a Reply
Sponsors
Presented by:
It is dificult to balance the yin and the yang of life. I have all that you listed plus trying to find time to be an artist and fighting cancer. One way I have to fight my cancer is to stay as active and physically fight as I can. This means workin gout everyday. Something has to give. It can’t be family or my art work (though the latter is what is getting lost.) But, one thing I figured out I can cut is the kid’s sports activities. I figured out that if I was paying all this money for them to exercise and have fun, shouldn’t I pay for myself to work out and enjoy it? So I cut out there stuff to one easy to manage activity and then signed up for a yoga studio for myself. going into a yoga studio that is all en, adult, relaxing, and near my home made a huge difference. I have to go; I am paying for it. If my kids have to go to gymnastics or dance, hen I have to go to my work outs. So try that. Cut out sports stuff/activities (including scouting) to one thing per kiddo. They will still turn out just fine as adults if they aren’t doing baseball until they are old enough to drive themselves to practice.
Try to find even 5-10 minutes in your day to make a quick walk around the baseball field, a lap around the grocery store before shopping or get up a could extra times at work. Getting in active time does not have to be all at once and studies have shown that breaking up that time throughout the day is just as beneficial as doing it all at once. So start small and make 5 minutes for yourself…and then do it again and again.
Find something you love to do, and ideally someone to do it with who will support you in sticking to it. I found that when I discovered Pilates and a really great instructor (who was also convenient!) that I suddenly found the time! I’ve made it non-negotiable, 2x week, 1 hr each time. It’s not quite 30 min/day, but it feels like a great start.
Aim for 20 minutes. Say 3 times a week.
Do you get an hour at lunch? That’s where I started when I worked full-time in an office with a more set schedule. I had more control over my time at the office than I did at home, with home chores, errands, kids, husband, sofa and TV, etc. lol
I’d change quick into “workout” clothes then hit the road for a vigorous walk. I’d listen to music and (a) it invigorated me for the rest of the day, (b) got me some exercise, and (c) de-stressed me from whatever had chapped my hide in the am.
Baby wipes are your friend if you lack a shower. Sweat is good for your hair. Stow walking shoes and socks at your office. Keep deodorant in your desk. All the little tips.
I quickly built that up to 30 mins of walking and 30 mins to get ready and clean up. 5 times a week.
I ate better, too, because I ate after and my appetite was lower. Also, ate out less.
I had to get up and get away from the desk. I had to choose that and commit to it. It was hard sometimes.
So…
When and where do you have the most control over your schedule? Where are you most likely to be able to own 20-30 minutes?