Let’s face it: Life can be hectic, and we can’t always make fitness a priority.
Sure, it sounds great to have the freedom to hit the gym for an hour every day, but that’s not possible for most single parents who run on a tight schedule. Plus, if we take into account the monetary investment of commuting, maintaining a gym membership, and paying for personal training services, it adds up.
It may seem like an impossible reality to create a balance between staying fit and active and parenting. But it is still possible. Even if your schedule is jam-packed, you can always make some time for health and fitness. All you need is the will and focus and the right discipline to make it work. Here are some simple tips on how to create a balance. Below, we’ll go over the latter.
Begin With a Healthy Morning Ritual
It’s often said that how we start each day can have a profound impact on our energy, mood, and motivation. Start each day strong and determined, and the remainder of the day will be similar.
It may seem like an impossible reality to create a balance between staying fit and active and parenting. But it is still possible.
What’s more, mornings are often the only time we can take for ourselves before the countless distractions of the day start fighting for our attention.
So, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to establish a productive morning ritual. For example, as you get up:
- Meditate for 2-5 minutes. Meditating and finding focus before you start your day puts you in the right frame of mind.
- Stretch for 10 – 15 minutes before you get moving. You can easily go to Youtube and find videos on exercises you can do at home.
- Do some light dynamic training for 5 – 10 minutes. Some low impact workout ideas using fitness rubber bands required little space at home.
- Take a shower and refresh yourself to start your day.
This ritual won’t take longer than 25 minutes, but it will help you get into the habit of regular exercise. What’s more, this is a fantastic way to start each day with more energy and motivation and a better mood.
Make Healthy Decisions Every Day
Our days are comprised of hundreds, if not thousands of small decisions. The more positive choices we make, the more they snowball into significant improvements over time. So, it’s vital for us to repeatedly evaluate our decisions and ask ourselves, “Is this a beneficial thing to do, or am I being lazy?” Is there an alternative way to do “something” that will lead to a healthier choice?
There are everyday activities we can do to improve our physical well-being and our daily decision make an impact on our long term health. Here are some ideas on how to make healthier choices:
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- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Park your car farther and walk the rest of the way
- Take your bike instead of the car
- Take a walk with your family every evening
- Drink water instead of soda
- Stand up frequently, even if your work has you seated on a chair
- Cook with your kids and find healthy ingredients for meals
- Don’t forget to recharge and set aside some kid-free time to yourself
Make the Most of Your Limited Time
Life can be hectic and unpredictable especially for single parents. We all enjoy making plans, and we do our best to stick with them. But, sometimes, life gets in the way, and we find ourselves unable to stick to schedules and plans.
So, what can we do in such a case?
James Clear coins with a fascinating idea. According to him, when life gets hectic, it’s essential to stick with the schedule, but reduce the scope if we have to. Say that you scheduled an hour-long gym workout for tomorrow evening, but life got in the way, and you now find that you can’t make it.
What you can do is still have a workout in the evening, but make it shorter and do it at home. A suboptimal session is infinitely better than none at all. Plus, by sticking to your schedule, you reinforce the behaviour, further ingrain it into your identity and develop better habits.
