Home Health & Fitness 12 Ways to Find Time for Fitness While Managing a Start-up

12 Ways to Find Time for Fitness While Managing a Start-up

You may be a busy entrepreneur managing a start-up. But there are so many ways to find time for fitness in your daily life. 

We all know the health benefits of exercise and the fact that we should workout regularly. But, let’s face it, most of us find some excuse or the other to relegate fitness to the backburner.

However, if you are an entrepreneur, you are possibly already living an unhealthy lifestyle – burning the midnight oil, skipping meals, not finding time to work out, etc. Well, if you don’t find time for fitness and prioritize it into your schedule, then chances are that your health will suffer. So, we’re going to suggest some ways to fit in fitness into that busy schedule of yours!

Wake up an hour earlier to find time for fitness.

1)    Wake up an hour earlier: Now if you are a night owl or you are working late into the nights to get your start-up going, you’re going to groan or roll your eyes at that suggestion. But, believe me, it’s eminently doable. I’m a night owl myself. I kept setting my alarm for ten minutes earlier over a period of two-three weeks and soon, I got used to waking up an hour earlier and today, that is the time I spend doing my yoga routine.

2)    Start small: If you have never followed an exercise program, you could always start with even five to ten minutes. You could walk, do stretches, dance to two-three songs or do five rounds of surya namaskar.  You just need to start somewhere. Over time, you can gradually increase the time you set aside for fitness.

Hire a personal trainer to put you on the right track towards fitness.

3)    Hire a personal trainer or a yoga teacher: This is of course if finances permit. Chances are that if you have someone coming home, you will have no choice but to exercise and get healthy and fit.

4)    Sign up for something near your home or workplace: Be it the gym or aerobics, yoga, Zumba or martial arts, if you have to drive, braving heavy traffic, to some other end of town, you are probably not going to stick to your fitness routine. However, if there is something close by, and you have paid up for the classes or course, you will certainly be more motivated to go.

Workout in the evening if you can't find the time in the morning.

5)    It’s okay to exercise in the evenings: Many people feel that the best time to exercise is in the mornings. If you finish your workout in the morning, the advantage is that you have got it out of the way and you also start the day feeling energetic. However, if you really can’t find time in the morning, then you should find time in the evening. Half an hour of exercise is better than no exercise!

6)    Walking is one of the best fitness routines: Is your place of work close by? Then why not walk to and from work? You can fit in some exercise this way. Or find a place near your office or home to take a half-hour walk. You could even walk around the office during lunchtime.

Keep yourself moving while at work.

7)    Keep moving at work: They say that sitting is the new smoking. So, try not to sit all day. Get up every half an hour. You could do some stretches, walk around the office or even do some leg and arm exercises at your desk.

8)    Find ways to burn calories: You could take the steps instead of the lift. Don’t call or email colleagues. Walk up to their desks and speak to them. When you are talking on the phone, get up from your seat and move around.

Delegating work as a boss.

9)    Learn to delegate: As an entrepreneur, you may want to be involved in every aspect of your business. And this could prove detrimental to your health. Employ enough people so they take some of the workload off you. At home too, delegate – to your spouse, your partner, your kids or your household help so that you can carve up some free time for yourself.

10) Use the internet for exercise not couch surfing: However busy we are, most of us are guilty of mindlessly surfing the net. Why not use it to exercise? The worldwide web has tons and tons of exercise programs to suit everyone.  From salsa to belly dancing, strength training to HIT, Zumba to aerobics to walking workouts…you name it, it’s there. And you can choose from ten-minute workouts to one-hour workouts depending on how busy your day is. Even a busy entrepreneur can surely find ten minutes every day for fitness!

Go for HIIT

11) Go for high intensity: If you are short on time thanks to being deluged by zillion things you need to orchestrate for your start-up, go for high intensity training or HIT. These are short but intense and focused workouts that give you maximum gains in minimum time.

12) Get a pedometer: Ideally, we should take 10,000 steps every day. However, most of us fall very short of this ideal figure. If you are not going to invest in an exercise program, then wear a pedometer or download the app on your phone and ensure that you walk those 10,000 steps.

It isn’t that tough, is it, to fit in fitness even if you are a busy entrepreneur? It’s all about will power and a little tweaking of time. Get creative. Choose a fitness program you like. Make a commitment and welcome a fitter you!