It’s ‘Bout Time! Break through the Lack of Time Barrier to Fitness

June 8, 2020

Written by: Becky McGraw, CFW Health Fitness Program Manager

Cropped image of young sports woman make sport exercises indoors at gym while listening music looking at watch.

One of the most common reasons people say they are unable to exercise is lack of time. With work and family demands, scheduling a 45-60 minute workout seems unattainable. However, any amount of activity is better than none at all.

While physical activity recommendations do encourage individuals to aim for a total of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, the amount may be accumulated by small workouts throughout the day that are at least 10 minutes in duration. Shift your focus away from feeling you only reap benefits from a full workout and consider several shorter bursts of exercise.

In addition to being time efficient, intermittent exercise can still protect against cardiovascular diseases as well as improve both mental and physical health. Some research has also suggested that Americans could avoid weight gain by burning just 100 more calories a day which could be accomplished during an extra 15 minutes of walking.

Below are some tips to help you overcome the time barrier for exercise with intermittent workouts:

#1 Schedule Mini-Workouts

Grab your planner and pencil in a few short workouts throughout the day. For example, plan 10 minutes of bodyweight exercises in the morning, take a 10 minute brisk walk on your lunch break and wind down with 10 minutes of yoga in the evening. Hold yourself accountable to these meetings just as you would if you were meeting for something work-related.

#2 Prepare

Ahead of time, choose 3-5 exercises for your mini-workout to perform circuit-style. Do 3-5 rounds of your preselected workouts.

#3 Phone a Friend

Need someone else to help you stick to your schedule? Ask a family or coworker to join you. The added motivation of knowing someone else is doing the same workout at the same time can help you stick to your plan.

#4 Make the Effort

While you are waiting for the coffee maker to finish brewing the pot or the oven to preheat, do some walking lunges across the kitchen. On a virtual call, stand up and work on a round of bodyweight squats. Going to binge watch a few shows? Take a workout break in between episodes to stretch out your muscles and give your eyes a screen break.

#5 Use Sources for Short-Workouts

Unsure where to find short workouts? The Corporate Fitness Works Signature Session library includes many 10-15 minute workout sessions for individuals of all levels. Check out Full Body Express, a Backpack Workout or Yoga Flow. These workouts require minimal equipment and time and are sure to help you fit fitness into your day!