Balancing family life, chores, work deadlines, and personal commitments can make it feel like there are never enough hours in the day. It’s easy to let your own fitness goals fall by the wayside when you’re juggling so much.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, finding time to exercise can seem impossible. After all, when you’re burning the candle at both ends, the idea of doing anything besides collapsing on the couch is daunting. But that doesn’t mean you should quit your job to spend all day at the gym (although we can all dream, right?).
Instead, making fitness a priority in our family life is about finding a balance. That’s why I created the Busy Parent Fitness program — to help busy parents with hectic lives prioritize their health and fitness without feeling overwhelmed. You don’t need a perfect, uninterrupted hour to get a good workout. Even a little exercise is worth it and absolutely doable.
By taking a closer look at your schedule, and making some strategic changes, you might realize you have more time than you think. The key is learning how to use that time more efficiently.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Schedule
This step might be the toughest: be honest with yourself! Take a good, hard look at how you’re currently spending your time. Instead of thinking about what you plan to do, log every single activity as you do it. From eating breakfast to scrolling through your phone, note the time and duration of each action.
Step 2: Analyze How You Spend Your Time
Now that you have a record of how you spend your day, analyze it closely. Often, we don’t realize how much time gets eaten up by activities that aren’t truly necessary or productive. Ask yourself: do you really not have time to work out, or is it just that you’re also watching two hours of Netflix every night?
Step 3: Prioritize and Eliminate Time-Wasters
Look for any gaps or unnecessary activities that could be cut down. Ask yourself which tasks are essential and which ones can wait. Can you multitask, like cooking dinner while doing a load of laundry? Could you combine activities to save time? If you want to fit in a workout, something else might need to give.
You might not want to sacrifice 20 minutes of social media scrolling before bed, but remember, time is a limited resource. Choose to spend it in the way that benefits you most.
Making Fitness a Priority
Working out is a valuable use of your time, benefiting your physical health, reducing stress, boosting confidence, and improving your overall quality of life. Think about it: what has your social media feed done for you lately?
It’s okay to enjoy downtime, but if you find yourself saying you “don’t have time” to work out, ask yourself if you’re really just not making time. If other activities are more valuable to you than exercise, then you may have to work out less. But if your fitness is a priority, consider where you can make compromises.
Could you fit in shorter, more frequent sessions? How about squeezing in a workout during your lunch break? Could you do some exercises at home a few times a week? With some honesty and flexibility, you’ll probably find more time than you think.
Be Realistic About Your Time
Once you’ve carved out time in your schedule, make sure to be realistic. Don’t underestimate how long tasks actually take. For example, while the gym might only be two minutes away, you also have to factor in parking, changing, and warming up.
The same goes for your workout itself. Account for all the time required, including getting to the gym, warming up, cooling down, and any post-workout stretching or clean-up.
Make the Most of Your Gym Time
When you do find time to work out, maximize it. Focus on quality over quantity. Instead of skipping the warm-up or cool-down to save time, remember that they are crucial for a safe and effective workout. A few minutes of rowing, biking, or jumping rope can prepare your body for more intense exercises.
For strength work, aim for 3-5 sets, resting as needed. To avoid wasting time, set a timer for rest periods, and always be prepared for the next part of your session.
If your workout includes circuits like EMOMs (Every Minute on the Minute) or AMRAPs (As Many Rounds As Possible), stick to those time limits. These formats ensure you get a solid workout without overdoing it.
Plan Ahead
The best way to maximize your workout time is to plan ahead. Know which exercises you’ll be doing, and have a strategy for how you’ll perform them. The more detailed your plan, the better. If you’re working on a deadlift-heavy session, don’t waste time on shoulder mobility that day.
With the Busy Parent Fitness program, I provide weekly training plans so you can organize your schedule in advance. If you’re ever unsure about prioritizing your exercises, I am here to help.
Enjoy the Process
Remember, exercise should be fun! You probably work out to blow off steam, get fit, or feel more confident. Training shouldn’t become a source of stress, especially if it’s not your main job.
Sometimes, it’s hard to get started. Other times, staying consistent week after week is the challenge. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or need to shorten a session. Focus on what you can do, and be grateful for it. Every bit counts!
By planning ahead, staying realistic, and enjoying the process, you’ll find that even the busiest schedule has room for fitness. So, get out there and make the most of your time!
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