Fitness

10 ways to avoid workout procrastination

Namaste!

These are tough times. The need for maintaining a healthy body and a healthy mind has become more important than ever. Changes that have happened outside have deep rooted impact on our individual minds and the collective consciousness.

Positive thinking, gratitude, meditation and remaining physically active can be considered as the four pillars that can help us get through this tough phase. Talking about remaining physically active during these times, it can get tough. Especially with all routines gone down the drain, and the new normal being a total bummer.

Here, I list down 10 tips that have helped me pull through my workout routine even during these tough times. These have worked well for me and hope it helps you too:

1. Fixing time in daily schedule: Fixing a time for workouts has become more crucial than ever. If you make a daily todo list, do not miss out adding workout. If you plan your day on an hourly basis, block the workout hour ( or half hour) every day based on your activities for that day. I personally choose an hour in the morning.

2. Wearing Workout clothes: Wear your workout clothes or keep them ready slightly ahead of the actual workout time. It acts as a constant reminder, and so the resistance to workout reduces by your actual workout time. Since I workout in the mornings, I change into workout clothes first thing in the morning. I personally don’t like to be in workout clothes the whole day because that takes away the “workout clothes – workout” association.

3. Mixing up workout routines: It is easy to get bored with the same workout patterns. If you workout 5 days a week, make sure you mix up your workout regime. I like to do HIIT, Pilates, Aerobics, Flexibility exercises, Bodyweight strength training exercises, Brisk walking, Running etc. It could be dancing, playing a game with your kids or whatever else you find interesting. I choose one depending on my previous day’s workout (so I don’t end up doing the same thing every day)  and what I feel motivated to do on that day. 

4. Short and achievable time slots: Since the goal is to be able to workout daily, it makes sense to set a short and achievable time limit for your workouts. I set aside 30-45 minutes normally. On days that I know I don’t have that much time in hand, I reduce the time to 20 minutes. But workout will definitely find a slot in my todo list.

5. Finding the right online instructors: Since most of us are exercising at home now, it is important to find online instructors whom you can follow. I found mine in Fitness Blender. I sometimes try @popsugar, one of the online zumba instructors or online aerobics sessions for a change. But I always come back to my favorite one. 

6. Making workout a byproduct of something interesting: If you are a nature enthusiast, a walk in the woods or a hike is something you won’t mind. Your workout becomes a byproduct of an interesting nature walk. If you love posting pictures on social media, dedicate some posts to #postworkoutselfies every week. That will motivate you to sweat it out and click pictures after that. Hence, workout becomes a byproduct of something you like to do.

7. Applying  Mel’s 54321 rule: Mel Robin’s 5 second rule works out so well for all procrastinations including the workout procrastination. 

When you feel yourself hesitate before doing something that you know you should do, count 5-4-3-2-1-GO and move towards action.
There is a window that exists between the moment you have an instinct to change and your mind killing it. It’s a 5 second window. And it exists for everyone.
If you do not take action on your instinct to change, you will stay stagnant. You will not change.
But if you do one simple thing, you can prevent your mind from working against you. You can start the momentum before the barrage of thoughts and excuses hit you at full force.
What do you do?
Just start counting backwards to yourself: 5-4-3-2-1.
The counting will focus you on the goal or commitment and distract you from the worries, thoughts, and excuses in your mind.
As soon as you reach “1” – push yourself to move.

The Five Elements Of The 5 Second Rule

8. Changing the goal to workout itself: More often than not, we consider workout to be a means to get to the goal of an “ideal weight” or “perfect health”. Though these are the final outcomes of a daily workout regime, when we overemphasize the outcomes, we tend to get demotivated when we don’t see a reduction in weight or our health is still not at a level that we would like it to be. If we make workout itself as goal, that is something that we can achieve on a daily basis. The other outcomes will definitely follow in due course.

9. Linking workout to your favorite podcast or show or phone call: If there is a particular podcast or show that you listen to, link that to a stroll in your neighborhood. It could even be a call to your friend or family. If you can link that activity to your workout time, the workout automatically happens. It can be like a positive distraction for your workout. On days that I am listening to my batgap podcast, I go on a very long walk. When I am talking to my sister, I stroll in my backyard. This really works, trust me.

10. The memory of post workout feeling: Last but definitely not the least, nothing can be more motivating to actually do a workout than the memory of a post workout feeling. That feeling of accomplishment is incomparable. Even if you don’t like doing a workout, you will definitely love finishing a workout. So, go for it.

I have written an earlier blog posts about how to get through a workout. Some hacks that you can use to actually trick your mind into finishing a workout. You can find the link to it here: 3 Simple Hacks

Stay healthy and safe …

Feel free to share your tips to avoid workout procrastination. You can leave your tips in the comments section.