Research has shown that if your workout is not one of your top four priorities of the day, it won’t get done. Do I believe this? Absolutely! I have seen it in my 30+ years as a fitness professional as well as in my own life. If your workout or exercise time is not on your “have to do” list, it is likely to get pushed aside for other things.
So how is one to prioritize their workout so it doesn’t get missed? That is actually relatively easy — You make a fitness appointment with yourself. You schedule your workout into your calendar, smart phone, reminder app, or where ever it is that you put appointments that can’t be missed. Then, you keep that appointment just like you would any other “can’t miss” appointment, like your doctor’s appointment, you child’s recital or big game, or a meeting with your boss. If a friend calls and wants to do lunch during your scheduled workout time, you simply say, “I can’t make it then, how about another time?” If someone calls to set up a business meeting with you, that exercise time slot is booked as if you have another important meeting already scheduled. If you think you are too busy or too important to do this (meaning you can’t block out time for yourself), you are kidding yourself and making an excuse.
Many successful people with very busy, very stressful lives know it is important to work out in order to handle daily stress and find a way to fit in their workout into their busy schedule. People included in this list of successful, busy people who find time to exercise are most of the United States’ presidents, including the early presidents. Thomas Jefferson once said, “Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading.” Good advice from a very busy, highly intelligent man who understood the importance of exercise long before scientific research verified this to be true.
So put your workout into your calendar as a “top four” each day that you plan to exercise and do not break this important appointment with yourself. It may take a few weeks to get used to your new routine, but once you do, you’ll be glad you did. The benefits cannot be overstated.