A very busy mom asked me how she could fit exercise into her schedule on a regular basis. Between work, keeping the house and family in order, and juggling the kids' full schedules, exercise is often the first thing a mom cuts in order to make time for others.
The FDA says we need 60 minutes a day of exercise to maintain our weight and 90 minutes to loose weight. That’s a pretty tall order that many of us won’t fill. But we also know that just getting some exercise can improve your health. Face it, with the schedules many moms have, the option of going to the gym seven days a week is just not there. But, and this is a BIG but, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything. In fact you need to do something to keep up your health. You need to find that point where you can increase your activity levels and keep your responsibilities. So how can you develop a routine and stick to it?
Five things you need to do to stick with an exercise program:
Being SMARTTM
- Set a goal
- Monitor your actions
- Arrange for success
- Recruit a support team
- Treat your actions
Let’s look at a three of these which are very important for busy moms:
Set a goal
Setting an exercise goal is tough when you don’t think you have time. Take time to figure out what is possible by taking your schedule and writing down your obligations hour-by-hour (yes, hour-by-hour). You will be surprised where you can find gaps of time. Put your exercise time in the nooks and crannies. It may seem like you are packing your schedule but that exercise time is also time for you.
Arrange for success
This is where you can really develop multi-tasking skills. You need to set up your environment to support you.
For many moms, the daily schedule plays a critical role, but don’t become a complete slave to the schedule. In addition to looking for nooks and crannies of time, you need to and deserve to have time for yourself on that calendar. So find enough time to get in at least 15 minutes of exercise at least 3 times a week. Write that time down in your schedule in red ink.
Take advantage of the time the kids are at soccer or piano by exercising during this time – pull double duty. Take a walk around the soccer fields, or walk the neighborhood where the piano lessons are taught.
Recruit a Support team
Moms, your support team is going to be critical here. After deciding that you’re ready to get started, tell a friend or family member so they can provide encouragement or exercise reminders.
What do you do when the kids aren’t at practice or music lessons? Chances are, you have a friend or a neighbor that’s in the same situation. In this case, set up a “kid swap” where you agree to watch each other’s children on certain days for a brief period of time.
It is also fine to ask a partner or significant other to help you out so you can find time to exercise.
Using these strategies along with the rest of the SMARTTM tips will help you carve out that time for your health. I bet you will start to look forward to this time for yourself, and it’ll become easier to find more openings in that hectic family schedule.
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