How to Make Time to Exercise for Busy Moms

Making Time to Exercise for Busy Moms!

I understand what busy means mama! Having five kids and owning a small business keeps me busier than ever. Getting that workout in can be a challenge sometimes. After fifteen years of trying to make time to exercise as a busy mom, I still found myself starting a workout program and never finishing one completely. Not that I didn’t want to, I was just struggling to understand how to make working out part of my life where it was sustainable.

Today, I can finally say that I know how to make time to exercise for busy moms. I see results, I have made time and I haven’t stopped since.

What is the secret you ask? Let’s dive in and learn how you can create time to exercise for busy moms like you and me.

Create a Routine

Routines! As an entrepreneur, extrovert and a craving for adventures kinda gal, I struggled with sticking to routines. It actually irritated me and I would get extremely bored doing the same thing over and over again. I would ask myself, why would I do the same thing every single day? I would even organize my room differently every morning so it would be fun and exciting. Change is what I thrive on.

When I started to look for results in my body with exercising I was told to make a routine, stay consistent and I would see results. Every single time around day fourteen into my exercise routine, I would get extremely bored and hate what I was doing. It didn’t matter if it was working out or a simple morning routine to clean my room. I got bored and something had to change! So, I would stop exercising all together to look for another outlet to keep my body moving.  That led to starting all over again and building my strength from ground zero. My routine was not making me stronger at all! I kept staring over and over and over.

Bad Habits

This was happening for many years until my kids started getting older and a routine was necessary for them. About this time in my life is when I started slowly learning about good consistent routines and how to make them fun. Everyday was different, but yet the same. My mind began embracing the pattern. I was seeing results and I wanted to see more of them!

About three years ago, I started working on creating routines for my personal life. What did I want to do and need to do everyday to feel good and stay healthy? Was it getting up early? Reading? Exercising? Coffee dates? I wasn’t sure, so I tested out different ways to figure it out.

Planners

I started using planners. There is something about having things on paper. So, I thought this would be a good option. About half way through the year I would forget about the planner. It would sit in my drawer tucked away until October when I remembered about it again. I got overwhelmed writing all the things I had to do, then forgetting about my plans because my planner was at home. I thought to myself, maybe if I got a planner that was cute, that would help. So, I would get a colorful girly planner and spend a few extra dollars. Did that solve the problem? Nope! This went on for at least three years. I finally stopped purchasing expensive planners.

What am I going to try next?

An App That Worked For Me

My next option was finding an app. I started with the easiest option, the one my husband used – iPhone calendar. I found it to be so overwhelming! All the appointments, kids schedules and to do’s were logged in there. I didn’t feel like it was my schedule and it was bombed with everything I had to do for someone but me! No way! Very quickly, I scratched that idea.

The second calendar options was google. I downloaded the app and started inserting all my tasks in there. Flashback of the iPhone calendar began to fill my mind. I was feeling overwhelmed, confused and the calendar was filled with everyone else’s schedule, but mine. I was back to square one again.

Back to the App Store I went. I downloaded several other apps and continued to test them out and see if one of them would catch my attention to create a love for routines. All the hard work paid off.

Say hello to ‘Structured.’

Why did this app work for me? First, it was super easy to use. Nothing extra to figure out. I don’t like hidden agendas and multiple steps and this app doesn’t have any of that. Second, it had a super cute layout and colors. I am all about fun and pop colors to keep things alive and this app had that. So, it was another win. Third, it helped me realize where I was spending my time. I began blocking out times for certain things through out the day. Seeing that on one page helped me realize the potential I had to do or not do something.

This is when I started intentionally blocking out time in my schedule to exercise and seeing visually how much time I actually had to for exercising.

To make the app a little more useful and work for me, I turned on the notifications. That’s a big deal because I typically keep all notifications off on my phone. Having this app softly ding at me when it was time to move on to the next task or remind me that I have to do something was giving me the results I was looking for the last several years!

With Structured set up on my phone, I have been able to take my vitamins consistently, write this blog, get my devotionals done daily, and exercise every morning.

I am not suggesting you get this particular app nor am I discouraging you to get a physical planner. Take time to learn what works for you. It doesn’t have to take years either. Pay attention to your habits, personality, visual things that make you come alive, and what is giving you the results you need. Test things so your routines can work for you and not against you. This is the first and most important step in creating time to exercise as a busy mom.

Create Good Habits

To do anything great in life we must create a habit. I know you are a busy mom, trying to take care of everyone and everything. You blink and the day is over. It’s crazy how fast time flies.

Create time in your schedule for the things that are important to you. You are reading this blog, so I know you value taking care of your body and your health.

Plan to exercise! Put it in your schedule. It may not be the same time everyday, but if you set your mind to do it and make it a priority, you are more likely to exercise.

Creating a routine helps make time to exercise for busy moms like me and you. So, go get it girl! I believe in you!