Making Time

I think that whenever we are making resolutions, we are tempted to imagine our lives the way we wish they were, instead of the way they really are. My personal favorite is pretending like I'm a morning person.

I have this wonderful fantasy where I wake up refreshed at six in the morning and leap from bed into my running shoes. I run three miles, come home, shower and start making an egg white omelet. I walk out of the house, right on time for work, peppy and energized...

...and then I wake up. To my fourth alarm. My dog is licking my face and I'm late. I brush my teeth, throw my hair in a ponytail and put on the first outfit I see. The only exercise I get is racing against the clock.

Monday through Friday, I go to school full-time and work part-time at a Marketing Research company. On the weekends, I usually try to catch up on either homework or sleep, and I've recently started meeting up with personal training clients for an extra source of income. My life seems like a hectic compilation of appointments and obligations (which I'm usually running late for), with very little unscheduled time left for me to breathe.

I understand how difficult it is to schedule one-to-two-hour blocks of time for the gym, especially when you're balancing half a million other critical items on your to-do list. Some days I can spare two hours, and when I get back from those workouts I feel on top of the world. Most days, however, getting to the gym is not even a remote possibility.

Twenty years of experience tells me that waking up at 5:30 AM is not an option either.


Fortunately, the 45 minutes of exercise recommended by the Attorney General does not need to be consecutive. This recommendation can easily be divided into three 15-minute intervals spaced throughout the day at your convenience. I find that taking a quick walk after meals is often the best way to stay active on days when it feels like the world is caving in around me.


Another thing to consider is the activity you incorporate into your daily life. I've always had to laugh at the people who circle the parking lot to find the closest spot to the gym doors. Small choices like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking farther from your destination, really do add up over the course of a month and take little extra energy. 


So give up your favorite fantasies and throw out your favorite excuses. Your life is exactly the way it is right now, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. You know your personality, your body and your schedule better than anybody else.


So make time.


A 15-minute walk after dinner. 25 crunches during the next commercial break. Stretch while you watch your favorite show.


The possibilities are endless.


Make time.