It’s super hard to find time to do anything for yourself, especially if you are employed, and are a parent or caregiver. There are only so many hours in a day, right? But, it is possible. I work more than full-time. I have a side hustle personal training and nutrition coaching business. I have a husband. I have three kids. I have pets. But, I have the time to workout and eat healthy. How? I find ways to squeeze it into my daily schedule.
Morning
I wake up anywhere from 5 to 6:30 a.m. on weekdays– earlier if I need to work out before work and later if it’s a rest day or I plan to exercise after work. If I’m exercising in the morning, I go right down to my home gym. I already have my routine written out so I know what I’m doing and don’t need to take the time to figure that out. I feed the dog and she waits for me to finish my routine before we go for a walk. On our walk, which is no more than 20 minutes, I listen to the Bible in a Year daily podcast on 1.8x speed. It’s one of the ways I fit spirituality in my life. If there’s time on the walk, I also listen to the Daily Rosary on the Hallow app, also at maximum speed. Speeding up audio helps me fit in more. You get used to listening at the faster pace! If I don’t walk the dog, I listen to these on my commute to work.
I lay out my clothes the night before so getting ready is easy. I have long hair and don’t wash it every day, which saves time most days, too. As for breakfast I seldom eat at home, preferring to bring it with me instead. I always have a protein shake after I workout, though, which gets me going. Then, I eat overnight oats I prepared the night before, or grab yogurt and granola for the road. Once a week I allow myself to stop for breakfast as a treat.
Afternoon
Lunch is usually leftovers from dinner the night before. This ensures I’m eating healthy and it’s super easy to have on hand. I typically bring a few snacks, too, so I’m not tempted to hit the vending machine mid-morning or mid-afternoon. I also try very hard to drink water throughout the day although I admit that’s a weak link for me! If I have time, I take a 10 minute walk after lunch. On my commute home from work I listen to a podcast, usually MindPump!
Evening
It’s tough in the evening especially when there are activities to get the kids to and all that. I use my crock pot to help get dinner on the table. Or my husband will cook or start dinner for me to help out. I plan out our dinners for the week when I shop for groceries so everything is laid out and we just do it. That helps a ton. It also ensures we are eating healthy. We hardly ever go out to dinner. To save time, I prep some of it the night before. So, for example, if something is cooking in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes, I can chop up vegetables for the next night or make lunches for the kids (if school is in session).
If I didn’t workout in the morning I either do it before dinner or after, depending on our schedule. Summer is easier for sure. Often during the school year, working out in the evening is not an option for me so I have to make sure I get up in the morning! But, remember you don’t need to workout every day… two to three days is plenty for a well programmed full body workout.
I have my vitamins all portioned out for the week in a special container so I can easily take those. I also lay out my clothes for the next day. Evening is a time to relax but I try to keep the laundry going and sometimes will clean something just to stay on top of things. My husband is a huge help in this regard, too. After everything is done, I relax on the couch with my cross stitching which calms my anxiety! I typically go upstairs around 9:30 and read until I go to sleep somewhere between 10 and 10:30 p.m.