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It is the time of year where we all seem to be fighting for time.  We just finished the squeezing time out for the holiday season.  Time to get shopping done. Time to bake thousands of cookies.  Time to get presents wrapped.  Time to prep Christmas Dinner. Now you should be making time for you.

Now we’re in January. Would you think we’d have more time since the holidays are over right? But we don’t. And now we have to make time for exercise too?  Making time for exercise simply means making time for YOU. If you struggle with making yourself a priority, I recommend you stop and read this now: My health is important because…

These days if we don’t make the time to take care of ourselves, no one is going to do it for us. I particularly like the cartoon where the doctor says to the patient, “What fits your schedule better?  Exercising an hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day.”

It is so important that we make the time to exercise and eat right that I have it scheduled into my daily agenda and I find myself looking forward to the fitness classes I teach. Folks in my class are as important to me as I am to them.  I am healthier and more fit because of them plus it helps me in keeping my stress level down.

Even the worst of days aren’t so bad after I’ve exercised for an hour but I tell you what – even living in a small town before exercise my road rage can be at it’s peak!  For example, why do people insist on pulling out in front of you on a 60 mph road then proceed to drive 25 mph?  Always a major source of upset for me.

After class?  Lalalalala. Singing to the music on the way home.  A whole different attitude.  If I don’t have class that day, I may kayak, take a hike, get on my bike, grab a leash and walk my dog or simply do a few minutes of yoga.  I really love the ease and affordability of the Yoga Works online programs. You can check them out and get started for free here: Yoga Works

So what should you do if you are not currently taking the time for yourself to exercise?  Starting right now, grab the calendar and see what’s on your schedule for next week.

What do you absolutely HAVE to do (work, doctor’s appointments, etc.). Those are the type of things than you cannot move or delete from your schedule so highlight them so you know those times are not available.

Now look at what’s rest.  Grocery shopping? Can you move it to another day or maybe later in the day?  Nail appointment? No offense but your health is more important than your nails so if it were me, I would definitely move that appointment to make time for exercise if that was the best time. Making dinner? How about after you exercise?

Often the stringent schedules we have day to day are those that we place on ourselves.  I get it.  I really do because I’m a creature of habit.  I do the same thing at the same time every day.  But now I also make sure that I am exercising every single day – sometimes at the same time – sometimes not but it’s definitely a part of my schedule that I won’t delete.  How about you?

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