4 Principles of Getting in Shape When You’re Busy
“I seriously doubt that I would have been as successful in my career (and happy in my personal life) if I hadn’t always placed importance on my health and fitness”
-Richard Branson
When I was studying engineering at university and working part-time as a software engineer at the same time my life was hectic. I knew exercise was extremely beneficial. It improved my mood, helped me focus, and reduced anxiety. Yet, when I had deadlines at work and midterms on the horizon, exercise was the first thing to go. With some effort, I was able to reclaim my exercise routine. Over the years, here is what I learned to get and stay in shape when life gets busy.
1. Start small
Exercise is hard. If you haven’t worked out in a while, the idea of going to the gym and doing an hour of cardio or strength training session is a daunting task. Make it easy on yourself by taking the smallest possible action. With this technique, you’ll feel the reward for having completed the exercise and be more encouraged to do it again next time. I like to think of this as building momentum.
Do not underestimate the value of small bouts of exercise. For some reason, there is a notion that if you aren’t going to the gym for an hour you are not going to get in shape. These days I rarely workout for more than 30 mins at a time.
Just how small exactly? Very small. Do 10 pushups before you jump in the shower in the morning, or go for a 5 min run around the block the moment you get home from work. Do not increase the volume for at least a week and only make incremental additions, over time you can increase the volume but first build the habit.
2. Make it a habit
In The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, Duhigg states that habits work in a 3 step loop: cue, routine, reward. Cue is the major takeaway here. You need to attach working out to a routine you already have. Let that routine works as a trigger to work out. For example, if you shower immediately after waking up every day, just beforehand do 10 push-ups. Done. Implementing this in your normal routine will make consistently working out effortless and will remove decision fatigue from the equation.
3. Do hard and basic things
Don’t waste any time on easy exercises, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. The key to the benefits of exercise is to challenge your body and push it past what it can already do. Do not push your self to 100% effort either that should be reserved for rare occasions to test yourself. Aim for 70–85% effort.
The 80/20 Rule aka the Pareto Principle is an aphorism borrowed from economics. It states that often 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes, or applied to exercise, 80% of your results will come from 20% of your efforts.
To apply this principle, pick exercises that involve moving your full body through space. I’d highly recommend push-ups, pull-ups, squats, kettlebell swings, and one you probably have never heard of before Turkish get-ups.
If you want to improve your cardio and lose weight, go for a run, jump some rope, take the bike for a ride, or jump in the pool. Don’t waste your time on cardio machines at the gym.
4. Set goals
The key to sticking with your new workout routine is to set goals. The most important part to keep in mind is to set goals that you care about. Pick things that excite you. For me, when I first got into doing pull-ups I was obsessed with doing a clean muscle-up. This goal kept me busy for years and I had a lot of fun in the process. When I finally accomplished it I was ecstatic and even more motivated to work out. Now sights are set on a 6-minute mile.
When setting goals, keep in mind the “SMART” anonym — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Although, don’t worry too much about certain goals being time-bound. Building strength and increasing your fitness takes time and patience. If the correct stress is applied to the body consistently it will adapt but you cannot control the rate of adaptation, trying to push your body too far, too soon in a recipe for injury.
I hope these principles get you out of your exercise rut or help you improve your current routine. Life is chaos and it must be tamed.
