Probably the biggest roadblock my clients stipulate is that they don’t have time to work out and the pressure of work and life get in the way. They have work deadlines. They have kids’ events. They have family outings that have been planned. They’re just so exhausted and can’t motivate themselves. And those are just the greatest hits…
I can relate. I understand. I have 3 little girls. I have a very crowded space at home. My wife and I work and pass each other some days like ships in the night coming back and forth from the city. Due to the pandemic we have had no outside help or assistance with our children. We also have solo projects we are working on that often get kicked to the curb, because of the aforementioned other things going on. Oh—and we are trying to buy a house and we are in the middle of some very engaging negotiations regarding more than a few items about the house. Life comes at you hard.
All of that being said, I cannot stress (see what I did there?) the importance of getting some physical practice in to help balance my other non-tangible pressures. I am not advocating shirking responsibilities in lieu of two-hour workouts. I am, however, suggesting that even 25 minute workouts can not only give you a much needed break from your work and daily grind, but it can enhance your work productivity, improve your mood, strengthen your body’s physical attributes and hormonal balance, restore your circadian rhythm and a host of other benefits that would be too long for me to list.
Workouts can fall under the umbrella of strength and resistance in the gym, endurance and cardiovascular (indoor cardio machines or outside hikes, swimming, etc), stretching and isometric work (this can range anywhere from yoga to Pilates to Kinstretch) to even playing competitive activities (tennis, basketball, rock climbing indoors or outdoors, etc). Much of the benefit of the workout will come from the intention and intensity that a person evinces—the actual time of the workout may not matter.
A barometer of the level of fitness activity can be gained by using a device that can monitor heart rate during exercise. Wearables like watches, rings, chest straps and wrist bands—among others—can either be read directly or linked to a smartphone to let the person know how intense the exercise is and for how long of a duration the exercise was for. Heart rate level is the one standard by which one can determine intensity and effort for a given period of physical activity.
Even if someone doesn’t have a set block of time to allocate toward working out, studies have shown that even small mini-workouts throughout the day can have a great overall impact. As Bubble Guppy and Paw Patrol episodes pipe through our television and surround system, I get on the floor with my little ones and do some Kinstretch positions as they climb on top of me. When the kids take naps I will quietly get into Functional Range PAILs and RAILs with the help of walls, chairs and the floor. And when my wife is home and the girls are eating, I’ll even opt to do a home workout with resistance bands, mini bands and bodyweight so that I don’t have to worry about wasting travel time to get to a gym.
Two of my newer and steadfast methods of keeping focus has stemmed from the book Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant. It has several anecdotes about how his exercises have served him well and I’ve adopted a few for myself. The mantra of “I love myself” each while meditating and while getting ready in the morning has not only calmed and channeled my energy, but it has also enhanced my level of patience for work and home. It has helped me realize that even the briefest workouts are better than none and some days I just can’t do everything.
The second application—the practice of forgiving myself — has subsequently allowed me to allow myself to take time off if I’m exhausted or really sore. It’s allowed me to make some substitutions—and avoid frustration when the racks at the gym are being occupied—for exercises that I deem as can’t-misses (squats, overhead presses, deadlifts, etc). The forgiveness is the most valuable when I fall off the wagon from my diet and have moments “of weakness” and dive into sugar on some nights and feel tired the next day.
Training is never perfect. Training is an everyday practice that takes perseverance and dedication. The blueprint is different for everyone and each of us have different reasons and drives that get us up and moving. I think training different modalities — strength, mobility, endurance, speed, power — is the best approach and allows for constant challenge and keeps us from getting too complacent. The key is starting and finding what you like. Then find something —or someone— that will keep you accountable and on the a healthy physical pathway.
