Written by Marika Haag
"I don't have time to move." Lack of time is one of the most common reasons for not exercising. However, it is known that physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health and well-being. Exercise keeps us healthy and fit and helps us to manage our weight. So why is it so hard to find the time?
Review your time use
We all have the same amount of time. Each of us has 24 hours in a day. So why do some people have time to exercise and others don't?
Suppose you spent one hour a day exercising, you would have 23 hours left for everything else, such as sleeping, working, running errands and other leisure activities.
If you find it hard to find time to exercise, take a look at your time and think about where in the day you could put in one hour to help you stay fit and maintain your wellbeing. Some people set aside an hour in the morning before they go to work, some use it at lunchtime and many use it in the evening. Mark your own exercise class in your calendar or plan an hour in several small moments.
Smaller moments can be short bursts of beneficial exercise, such as a walk to work, a trip to the shops on foot or by bike, 15 minutes of exercise at home or a walk with the dog. This way you can get an hour in your day without making any major changes.
Once you've made the decision to start exercising for an hour a day, you'll also change your mindset to a more positive "I exercise" mindset. At the same time, you start to think of yourself as a physical activity person and exercise becomes more easily part of your everyday life. When you see exercise as part of your everyday life, it becomes part of you and exercise becomes regular.
Make the most of your time
It is easier to find extra time for exercise when you are aware of where you are spending your time. Use the following tips to calculate how much time you spend on each thing, which things you could cut down on or leave undone, and how much time you could have left for exercise.
1. Sleeping
It is a good idea to set aside the same amount of time each day for sleeping. Also make sure you have enough time to sleep. Your individual sleep needs are around 7-9 hours.
I spend time sleeping:
Day left: 24 - time spent sleeping =
2. Works
Work strongly determines our daily rhythm. Calculate how much time you spend at work each day. You can also count journeys if you are inactive during your journey (e.g. sitting in a car). If your commute is mobile, exclude it from this calculation and add it to your physical activity time.
I spend time working:
Time left in the day: previous difference - time I spent at work =
3. Eating and cooking
Eating is an important aspect of wellbeing, and one that takes up time every day. Calculate how much time you spend eating, preparing and buying food.
I take time to nourish myself:
Time left in the day: previous difference - time I spent on food =
4. Other compulsory expenditure
Next, calculate how much time you spend on other compulsory expenditure. You can include time spent on errands, children, other relatives or pets. Think about which things are really compulsory and which are just learned habits that consume time. Leave out of this calculation any active expenditure such as cleaning, shopping (on foot) and yard work, which will be added to your physical activity time.
I spend time on other compulsory expenditure:
Time left in the day: previous difference - other compulsory expenditure =
5. Screen time
Next, calculate how much time you spend in front of screens such as your phone, TV or computer. Many phones come with a time calculator, so you can easily keep track of the time you spend on your phone.
Do you find yourself spending a lot of time in front of the screen? Could you cut out some of the screen time and spend more time moving around? Set yourself a goal to reduce your screen time.
I spend time in front of the screens:
Target for the new screen time:
Time left in the day: previous difference - target screen time =
6. Other hobbies and miscellaneous expenditure
Count the other things you spend your time on. Only count things that you are inactive during, for example, exclude sports activities. Also consider whether you could find time for exercise in this category.
I spend time on miscellaneous expenditure:
The goal for the new period:
Time left in the day: previous difference - target time for miscellaneous expenditure =
7. Exercise
Finally, count the time you have already spent exercising, and set a new target time for exercise. Include any beneficial physical activity, such as active commuting, shopping, yard and housework, playing with children, etc.
I spend time moving around:
The goal for the new period:
Now check in section 6. how much time is left in the day and compare it with the target time for exercise. Is the target exercise time less than the time remaining in the day? If so, congratulations, you have found time for exercise. The next goal is to start moving and make the most of the time you have.
