Everyone has a starting point in their fitness journey. Stepping into a new gym can be intimidating but it’s a step in the right direction for your health and overall well being.

Now, what happens AFTER that? You’ve told yourself you are going to make this commitment and now need to follow through. How are you going to balance this commitment with everything outside of the gym?

In today’s world, with more and more people working from home and others still working from an office, everyone’s flexibility and availability may be a little different.

The biggest suggestion I can make to allow you to fit exercise into a busy weekly schedule is to actually schedule it. Put in on your calendar like any other meeting or important life event that you have to remember. This serves two purposes:

• Acts as a daily reminder.
• Makes it a priority.

To fit something into your schedule, you have to make it a priority. You have to want to do it.

I don’t typically put things on my calendar that aren’t important to me for one reason or another That way, it’s a constant reminder and keeps me thinking about my workout, the gym, etc.

This is something that my wife and I do on a nightly basis. Each night after our daughter goes to bed, we discuss what our schedules look like for the following day. Depending on that schedule, we figure out if/when one or both of us can get our workout in.

Most days, I get my workout in either super early before our daughter wakes up and my wife has gone to the office, or right after I drop her off at the sitter before my work day begins. When I finish up my work day, I pick our daughter up from the sitter so my wife can come right home and get her workout in before dinner. This allows us to spend time with our daughter at dinner and before bedtime.  Rise and repeat.

Not everyone has the same situation as I do, but some may be similar and others totally different. Regardless of that, the message is the same. You can make time for fitness, you just have to prioritize it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: COACH MIKE RUTKOWSKI 

Coach Mike is one of the most tenured coaches at Black Flag Athletics. The former Football standout is also an elite level CrossFit Masters Athlete. Mike has years of coaching experience and as well as a very experienced CrossFitter himself. His favorite food is ribs and his favorite season is Fall. He loves muscle ups in workouts and his perfect date is getting tacos and ice cream. In addition to his accomplishments in the gym, he loves spending time with his family, his wife Katy and beautiful daughter.