You hear it constantly: “There’s never enough time” or “I just don’t have time to workout.” We’ve all got a lot to do, events to attend and plenty of errands to run. That’s life, right? Most of the demands on our time are non-negotiable. But if you’re not taking care of yourself and making time for fitness, you pay the price—one way or another.
Here’s a basic, but nonetheless surprising fact: a one-hour workout is only 6% of your waking day. No matter how packed your life is, there is always a way to incorporate fitness into a busy day. And while it may sound counterintuitive, adding exercise into a busy schedule will actually help you feel less stressed and more balanced.
Researchers at Saint Leo University found a “clear relationship” between physical activity and navigating the intersection of work and life. The takeaway is this: if you exercise regularly, you’re less likely to feel a conflict between your working life and your home life. After all, we all know that exercise reduces stress. “But there’s also an increase in self-efficacy, or our sense of being able to get things done,” says professor and author of the study Russell Clayton. “Folks with high self-efficacy are more likely to face the various tasks to be met in the day as challenges to be mastered.” And as one of Clayton’s interview subjects told him, “an hour of exercise creates a feeling that lasts well beyond that hour spent at the gym.” So how do you modify your life to make room for fitness? Here are proven tactics to help you succeed.
