The best of us have a busy schedule. The worst of us have a hectic schedule. So when it comes to training and working out, it can seem impossible to find the time to fit it in. I mean… among work obligations, family obligations, and other obligations, it’s almost unmanageable to add to the list. Fair enough; that’s why I’m going to share with you some tips on how you can fit training into your already-action-pack-schedule.
Make a real, infallible schedule
Know exactly what you’re doing at all times. Work from 9-5 Monday through Friday? Spending Sunday with your family? Write all this down, onto a calendar of some sort – or just a weekly planner. See exactly where you find yourself wasting time. Maybe you watch a specific TV show at a certain time. And then you find yourself lost lethargically in the abyss of television. Instead, control yourself. After your “must-watch” program, see if you have time to train afterwards. Seriously – make a schedule, and stick with it. It makes life a whole lot easier.
Tell everyone your schedule
Tell your spouse, your children, your uncle, your aunt, your siblings… even your dog. Tell everyone exactly when to NOT disturb you. When to NOT make plans to screw up your schedule. Have them understand that maybe you can miss a couple of episodes of your favorite program, but not your training time. That’s a no-go zone. And, not only that, but make them hold you to it. Don’t let them allow you to “just watch another episode.” Because that’ll turn into a never-ending cycle. If you lack self-control, the thing you need is someone forcing you to train when you can’t be bothered. And, maybe you’ll have some people to work out with because of this.
Quality trumps quantity
It never fails to amaze me how often people think that the more they run, the better off they’ll be. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If anything, it’ll leave them prone to injury with nothing but an achy body in the morning. Instead, follow a routine that is destined for success. Don’t wing it. To be successful in marathon running, you need to set off in the right direction with your training. Or else you’ll just be wasting your time – no amount of work will turn you into a pro-marathoner if you don’t have a path to follow. Having a quality training session will leave you with more time to do other things. Even if the training is just 30 minutes – sometimes that can be better than an hour session. It has also been shown that music can help to aid running abilities because it helps them to run to the beat as well as the fact that music can impact mental health in a positive way too.
Be realistic
After a full day of work, sometimes it’s not practical to workout. Depending on where you work, and what you do, you might’ve had enough for the day once you get home, which is fine. The workout should fit your lifestyle without overworking. You could get some excellent advice from a PT here. Have them assist you and your schedule. If you’re not realistic in your schedule, you’ll do nothing but kill your motivation once you realize you “put too much on your plate,” so to speak.
Run to and from work
If you can, use work as a way to train; run there and back. If you can’t rock up to work sweaty and bothered, just run home from work. Have someone take you to work in the morning if possible, so you won’t have to use your car. Or use public transport if you’re in the city. You may need to take a change of clothes to do this – tank tops for men might be a good choice for those looking to make running a part of their daily commute – but I can assure you it’s the most practical way to achieve what you want, whilst fulfilling those dreaded obligations we all have.
Start a workout group
If you want to lift weights, become a yoga master, or run, having a group of people with similar goals will help with motivation. Of course, it’s not the same as finding motivation in resources such as Motivation District (click here for website), as the inspirational speeches might do a better chance of motivating you! Your friends also can assist with your goals, and make sure you don’t lag behind because of laziness. It only takes one person to get the group in a consistent schedule, whilst staying motivated, if the rest of the group aren’t as determined. So, if you’re someone who lacks discipline and motivation, doing this will force you to run when you’re supposed to run. Nobody wants to be the person who gets left behind, especially within a group of people. How embarrassing! Plus, you can share tips to help each other reach your goals. For example, my best friend goes to a yoga group and has found that this has had a huge impact on her health and wellbeing. Plus, there are so many different types of yoga out there now that there is something for everyone. For instance, my friend told me that she has recently taken up yoni egg yoga. Apparently, this type of yoga involves using an egg-shaped crystal made of precious minerals when meditating to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. So, whether you are interested in New Age medicine or just want to form a running group, I would strongly recommend reaching out to others with shared interests to form a team.
Always do something
It’s often tempting to use “free time” to do nothing and just relax. The “extra” spaces between obligations where nothing productive is being done. But I like to think differently. I take advantage of those times, because often they’re the only times I can run and make use of myself. Even if it’s just running around the block. Using those “spare” gaps in the schedule can be the difference between a solid, effective week of exercise, and a mediocre, dismal week of procrastination.
Final Words
Although we’re all always busy, there’s always a way you can be training for a marathon. Even if it means being a little creative and using the disadvantages to your advantage. To avoid training and coming up with excuses is just being a cop out. Don’t be one of these people.
About Curt:
Curt Davies is a marathon enthusiast, who has developed as a runner through experience and persistence. Not only is he a published writer on the topic, but as the proud owner of www.marathondriven.com he gives an incredible amount of high quality, intriguing information at the click
of a button. And, you can even get his free report which will help you find the mental edge you need to run your marathon straight from his website.