It can be hard, day in and day out, reading the same type of data about working out and then thinking: sure – it’s really not that easy. Or sure, if I could find the time, don’t you think I would work out?
That’s just it – just because you have lots of time doesn’t mean you do what you think you would with it. For example, for years before my daughter was born – I must have had lots of empty hours. Hours I did whatever I pleased in. I didn’t have a house to care for, a family to look after and the job was just a job. Did I spend the free hours doing all the things I would be doing now if I had that kind of time?
Of course, I didn’t. Chances are good, you didn’t either. Because when you have a lot of time on your hands – time is not a precious commodity. When my daughter was born, all this empty time I used to have evaporated. Suddenly, I was lucky to get 30 minutes to myself and exercising in that 30 minutes was not high on my priority list.
Why is it high now? Because I didn’t like the way I look. I didn’t like the way I felt. I didn’t like the fact that there was something I could do about it, if I could just find the time.
Time doesn’t grow on a tree. It doesn’t pop up with a little more fruit in the fall than it did in the spring. There is always something that needs to be done. There are always chores you could be doing. There is always going to be work that has to get done. The kids are always going to need something.
The truth is – if I had waited for the time to get my work done; I’d never have written a book. If I’d waited to have time to plant my roses, they wouldn’t be planted and blooming. If I waited to have time to sew together my first quilt, it wouldn’t decorate my bed at the moment.
Do you see the trend?
Don’t wait for the time to add exercise to your day. Make the time. If you can only put it together in 10 minute chunks three times a day, that’s better than not doing it altogether. Exercise reduces stress, increases your energy levels and makes you feel better about yourself.
Check out upcoming installments of the 30-Day Challenge as I tackle exercising in small chunks. If what is holding you up is a lack of time – I encourage you to make some time over the next few days and give these routines a shot. Don’t wait for the time to present itself – make the time now.