Time Is On Your Side
Time Management Tips to Help You Feel & Look Great
By Suzie Cooney, CPT
Owner of Suzie Trains Maui, LLC
Feeling lethargic, having trouble sleeping, performing at work or keeping on track of your fitness goals? Below are some of my time management tips to help you feel and look great.
People often say if I only had more time? Or, “I just don’t have the time to workout but I have the time to stuff my face with chips or cookies and lay around watching television or cruising social media.” Ultimately we do have more control over our time than we think.
Not even the richest man or woman in the world can buy it, but maybe their people can help them manage it. Or what if we could transform ourselves into a different time warp where you could buy time or better, make it stand still, maybe that would solve a lot of our nations health problems?
No wonder “time” or lack of perceived time has been voted the number one obstacle in preventing people from maintaining normal and healthy level of fitness.
Making yourself a priority is hard to imagine these days as we all are working harder. This new era also requires some to be more plugged in to the web to help do our jobs, and some are managing not one but several jobs to make ends meet.
In addition, this is a new society where the only thing that seems to be getting enough exercise are our fingers that constantly Tweet, text and take photos for Instagram and FaceBook. Are there any hours left to workout, go for a non -multitasking walk, or go for a quick surf or SUP session?
Some of you may still wonder why you’re getting wider by the text message as you slip into a social media coma. Just for kicks, don’t forget to wipe that corner of your mouth from that caramel machiatto that just stole some of your precious time, and added about 240 calories, 7 grams of fat and 32 grams of sugar to your “nutrition” and weight loss plan.
Ouch, that’s hard to hear, and most of you may have thought I was this nice trainer but sometimes I must write in a little cheeky style to get your attention.
I’ve discovered by observing my own practices and those of my most successful clients, who do a fantastic time of scheduling their training time with me or on their own; they have the highest levels of fitness. And, coincidentally they seem to be the top of their life game too.
To share how you can get your time management more in line with your life, I want to give you some tips and thoughts on how you can find little ways to allow yourself create a better time management game so you can maintain or build your health and fitness.
Time Management Tips to Help You Feel & Look Great:
1. First and foremost know that fitness training is cumulative. Your level of fitness will not slide if you break up your walk, bike ride or strength training routine at different times of the day.
Say your goal is to do 30 minutes of cardio every day but you have certain obligations that could make it challenging. Don’t fall into this trap. Simply commit and plan ahead to get in 15 minutes in the morning and complete the remaining 15 in the afternoon or evening. Bottom line here, don’t bail all together, be flexible and find a solution to fit your schedule.
2. Set yourself up for successful moments all throughout your day and week and the rest of your life.
Most of us rely on hand held devices and laptops to manage some or part of our job or career. Use it as a healthy partner. Find the timer on the device and/or computer and set an alarm as a reminder or reminders, to stop whatever you’re doing every 20-30 minutes and for 3-5 minutes do something, anything that moves every part of your body. I also use an oldfashioned kitchen timer.
For example, as I write this article my internal clock is set for 20 minutes. So in just a few seconds, I will stop typing, stand up do some shoulder shrugs, 10 squats, 10 push ups, 20 high knees in place with hands or my head and repeat. If I’m in the studio, I’ll grab some light weights and do 10 shoulder presses, 10 pec flys and maybe 10, 4 way lunges. Don’t forget good old jumping jacks. Throw in 10 of those too, big ones.
3. Make the amount of workout time and time of day realistic.
If you’d like to train 5 days a week, one hour each day, but your reality is really 3 days and 45 minutes, start with that. It’s always been said that if you start your day with your workout routine first thing, you’ll feel more energized, be more productive and look and feel great.
Or maybe select your lunch hour. Now, don’t not eat, just prepare the night or morning of to be able to eat a little before and or after your workout. If you wait until the days end, it’s so much easier to put it off to another day and the cycle continues.
4. Hire a personal trainer. Many clients I train love to make the commitment to me as a way to help them get started and used to a regular routine. When you have someone waiting for you and holding you accountable, no way are you going to bail out. Your trainer will encourage you and help shape and discover new time management skills.
5. Train with a friend. I love this. When I’m training for a SUP race I have a few friends I can call up in advance and schedule certain days of the week before my clients, to do some harbor laps or do a mini distance paddle. I don’t want to let that person down and it’s a sure fire way to keep me motivated and hold my course.
The final take away here is to understand that we are in more control of our lives and health than we think. Owning yourself and your time is possible. If you’re afraid you’ll let others down or not meet a deadline because you don’t have time to waste on working out, the truth is you’ll be so much more successful with everything you set out to do. I mean everything.
Making good habits stick are harder than creating bad habits. Take the language and barrier to your health success away, “I don’t have time” and replace it with, ( be specific ), “ My health is a priority so I will workout Monday, Wednesday and Friday for one hour at 6:00am.”
I’d love to hear about how you are successful at keeping your health and fitness goals. I know it took you a little time to read this and I appreciate that. Our readers want to learn all they can, so please feel free to leave a comment.
Aloha,
Suzie Cooney, CPT
SUZIE TRAINS MAUI, LLC
