Need a new time management hack? Make daily movement a lifestyle habit

If you are like me and most people, you resist cultivating good habits and routines because you may feel these are boring, dampen your creative side or are too challenging to come up with and stick with. You are not alone in your thoughts with this life area. Trust me! 

I resisted structure and free routines regarding my “personal” life for years until – enough was enough for me. What I realized was this… having no structure and personal life habits was emotionally, physically and mentally draining than actually fostering and following a routine. My “free” range -react to what is at hand mentality-  blocked me from reaching goals that mattered. It was my time … long overdue… on how I showed up for myself.

I began by checking in with what activities created a sense of wellbeing and energy for me. 

I have always felt revitalized and energized physically and emotionally when exercising. Whether taking a walk in my neighborhood or attending a group fitness class. I choose to create my first ever routine and new habit around exercise. For me and many clients who I coach..starting with just one new behavior proved for them and me an  “easy” win.  Starting and fostering this new behavior opened the door on what was going on beneath the surface.  Managing my time and caring for myself by handling my time.

Exercise was my anchor in so many levels… personal self-care,time management  and emotional growth as a person.  I focused on one area. I placed my energetic  resources on just this. My instincts “told” me to just do one thing while my head said do more. Thankfully I  listened to my inner voice. My ego of course wanted me to go big or not do anything. My ego didn’t have my best interest in mind. 

When we choose an area in our personal life to brighten and shine – we radiate from our center in how we show up in our careers,relationships,life obligations under our care and with ourselves!. Time we thought wasn’t available now comes forward!

 4 Simple exercise hacks to get you started!

1. Set a consistent time.

Decide whether you are more likely to stick with an am-midday or pm “movement” schedule.  Set a specific time as well. For myself, I set my first movement between 7am-730am daily. What does this look like for me?  Walking my dog Doug in our neighborhood. Once back home I take  ten minutes to stretch and incorporate body resistance squats, lunges with planks and a few pushups. Setting a specific time daily sets into motion both behavior and new habit. Once my am movement was set and aligned within me I added a longer pm walk. My body began to “crave” daily movement  and I felt “off” when I didn’t  take my am and pm walks.

2. Start small.

The thought of setting aside even thirty minutes to move and exercise set me into emotional overwhelm. My emotional center was simply not accustomed to being consistent and accountable to something I wanted for myself. I was so “other” focused this was uncomfortable. What worked and felt good was “ten” minutes. I felt comfortable doing this for me. This is where I started. A brand new daily routine of a ten minute am walk in my neighborhood.  Key is for you to start small so that what you want is deemed doable and realistic versus challenging and unrealistic. Make this an easy point of entry and allow time for yourself to become synchronized with you doing you! Small gains grow habits for the rest of your life!

3. Make it enjoyable.

Nothing will end a new habit from becoming a routine than dread and lack of enjoyment. Who wants to push themselves into “more work” when life is already full of obligations and roles? If you associate what you’re doing with pain and zero enjoyment  you’ll simply quit. But, if you’ve decided what you want to do and this is relaxing, energizing and fun, you’ll stick with it. In the early phase of creating and cultivating a new habit it matters to focus on enjoyment, pleasure and ease. We gravitate towards pleasure.

4. Don’t skip a day!

In the beginning when you are in the process of setting yourself up… just hit repeat without missing a beat! When you’ve created what exercise you want to do and in a smaller time increments  there is nothing that stands in your way. Don’t overthink and base doing or not on how you feel. Take your thoughts with you as you move and become!

 Pour goodness into yourself first. You will reap so much more and have even more available to share from within your beautiful self!