Set Yourself Up for Success Tip #3
TARA MARIE’S TOP TEN WAYS TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS!
THREE: Structure your time.
If you want to truly transform your life by making a plan of exercise and healthy nutrition a priority, you will literally need to MAKE it a priority. Many of us have good intentions, but the truth is we end up doing the things that we deem most important. Everything else gets done if we can fit it into our already-over-scheduled lives. I have found that when my schedule is too unstructured, I get much less done. I do what is in front of me at the moment and before I know it, the day is over and tasks remain unfinished. The best way to manage your time is to schedule blocks during which you will work on specific tasks.
When it comes to exercise, you must apply this same kind of structure to your plan. This is largely why working with a trainer is so effective. My clients have to book appointments with me in advance and without 24 hours notice, they are charged whether or not they keep a scheduled appointment. Once they book an appointment with me, they book the rest of their day around it.
You can use this same strategy even if you don’t have a trainer or a workout partner. Rather than say, “I’ll exercise today,” say instead, “I’ll exercise today right after work before the kids get home from soccer practice.” By stating your goal in these terms, you have a specific, structured plan in place and you know that you will hit the gym right after work before the kids get home and chaos erupts with homework, dinner, bath time, etc.
I have said this before but it is worth repeating: my most busy and successful clients exercise the most consistently. Why? They schedule their workouts and regard the appointment with themselves as highly as they do any other in their day.
This strategy applies to all of us; whether you are a stay at home parent, a college student, a free-lancer or a person who works a fixed schedule, book time to devote to exercise and honor your commitment like you would any other booking.
Remember, the more specific the plan, the more likely you will be to follow through with the plan. If you have too little structure in your schedule, you will accomplish less as you randomly move through your day. Before you know it, it’s too late and the opportunity is lost one more time. Try this for one week and see if it makes a difference. I believe that you will not only get more done, but you will find time to exercise that you did not even know you had.
Stay tuned for Tip #4
~Tara Marie
