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We get it! We are all busy and sometimes fitting in a run or workout is the last thing we want to do.
When you have twenty things pulling at you from every direction, it’s important to take a step back and look at your daily routine. It’s hard to make time for every single little thing you want to accomplish, but by prioritizing, you are better able to manage your time.
Are you struggling with finding the time to run? Are you actually sabotaging yourself? We aren’t superhuman, but there are ways to work on time management and get more time for running.
1) You spend too much time online
In this day and time, it’s easy to spend many mindless hours on social media. It’s so easy to start scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or even looking for new races. Suddenly, you realize it’s an hour later.
You haven’t found anything particularly useful except that your old high school classmate had her third child. What you have done in the last hour, is the time that could have been used to run.
Take a step back and look at your schedule and the “empty space”. What are you doing in that time? Are you scrolling social media? Could that time be put to better use?
2) You spend too much time working
Unless running is your job, chances are you spend a good portion of your week working. Ask yourself: are you taking on too much? Are you saying “yes” to every project, task and job that needs to get done?
Are you coming in early, working through your lunch break and then staying late? If you answered yes, then it’s important to take a step back and reflect upon whether you can make small changes like taking a half an hour break or leaving early to get in a run.
3) You regularly stay up late
We are all guilty of this. We say we will go to bed at X time and then end up staying up 2 hours later. Make a set bed time and stick to it! Personally, I shut off all technology by 9 pm.
I find when I don’t have the technology to keep me engaged; I have an easier time falling asleep and staying in bed. I don’t spend mindless time online and can fall asleep faster and wake up earlier (I’m a morning runner!).
4) You would rather do something social
Who doesn’t want to do a happy hour after work or hang out socially with friends? Chances are, not every single one of your friends run. Maybe not even half of them run!
Maybe they want to hang out for happy hour on a Friday night, which makes it harder to wake up to run on Saturday. Try convincing your friends to go out for a run or find a running buddy. The miles will go by faster and running together is a great way to catch up.
Are you and a friend doing different runs? Try running next to each other on the treadmill; it’s a great way to get a run in as well as catch up.
5) There is always an excuse!
Like anyone, we all have a list of reasons. The weather, something aches, not enough time in the day… The list can be endless. Remember above everything; you can make time for what you want.
If running is important to you, you can find a way to squeeze it into your day. Whether this means waking up 30 minutes earlier, eating lunch at your desk or even running with a stroller.
Tell us: How do you make time for running?
Hollie Sick is a New Jersey-based runner and blogger who has completed more than 30 half marathons. Learn more about Hollie at her blog, or follow her on Twitter.
