Adjusting your workouts when life gets busy.
I am stoked to be back at uni this past week. However, now that I am back into the hecticness that is juggling full-time Uni and work, I wanted to share some of the changes I'll be making to ensure I don't lose consistency with my training.
In life, it’s completely normal for our schedule to fluctuate between ‘busy’ to ‘wtf-level busy’. Whether it’s babies, bosses, break-ups or just a crazy whirlwind ‘why is everything going wrong’ kind of situation. Now the issue is that when these ‘busier’ periods happen, our training regime can be the first to drop off in an effort to make room for the chaos.
As a full-time student and full-time business owner, I know that maintaining a fitness routine can be challenging, particularly during periods of business or stress.
However, the biggest problem with letting our exercise and health regimen slide when we're stressed is that it leads to a poorer mood.
This, in turn, leads to a decrease in healthy behaviours and an increase in avoidant, unhealthy behaviours. This then becomes a negative loop where, when we feel stressed, we do less of what is good for us and more of what is not so great for us. This makes us feel bad and consequently increases our stress, repeating that negative pattern.
I thought I’d share some tried and tested tips with you that I personally will be implementing as my university workload (and my regular workload) ramps up.
1. Be Realistic
It's important to be realistic about what you can accomplish during particularly busy periods. Instead of trying to maintain the same level of activity, consider scaling back your workouts. This could mean shorter sessions or training full body so you can train less (we do this for our clients so they don’t have to worry about it themselves).
2. Multitask
Try to incorporate exercise into other activities whenever possible. For example, if you have a busy day ahead, take a brisk walk to your meeting instead of driving or taking public transit. Or, try doing some stretches or bodyweight exercises during your lunch break. I record my notes into voice memos and listen to them while I walk.
3. Prioritise
Make sure that exercise is a priority during busy periods. Schedule workouts into your calendar and treat them as non-negotiable appointments. This will help ensure that you make time for fitness even when life gets hectic. (we can also help you with this if you are one of our clients)
4. Socialise
I heavily dislike the notion of fitness interfering with friendship. Research shows that socialising is one of the most critical factors for our physical and mental well-being. So, why not get your friends to exercise with you? Turn a "catch-up" into an active event, such as doing a workout together, followed by a walk and a coffee. If your friends are not so interested in that, how about taking a nature ‘walk and talk’? Remember, they will also benefit from the exercise.
5. Cut Yourself Some Slack
Finally, remember that it's okay to cut yourself some slack during particularly busy times. You may not be able to maintain your usual workout routine, and that's okay. Instead, focus on doing what you can to stay active and healthy, and remember that you can always ramp up your workouts again when life calms down. We’re in this together, forever (not just for 12 weeks).
Having a coach in your back pocket not ONLY gets you results, but it will also help you to stay on track during those busy periods.
It becomes a weekly habit that you don't have to spend vital mental bandwidth on. Just hit start and we can sweat together.
