When do you make time to workout?

 

This is by far the number one question, challenge, and concern I’ve heard from other men when it comes to exercise. 

 

 

Since this has been such a regular question and salient challenge, I want to offer a few thoughts and ideas by sharing my own tips and schedules that have and still work for me. 

There is not a silver bullet remedy to this challenge, as each of us has been given different roles, responsibilities, and skills from the Lord that we need to be faithful to. I do not pretend to preach perfection here, but this system has helped me manage my responsibilities within my roles as a husband, father, worker, church member, etc… while still having the time to commit to body stewardship.

Before jumping in, I want to briefly comment on the expression “making time”. 

We all only have 24 hours each day. It’s not possible to generate more time beyond what God has given us (Psalm 90:12, Matthew 6:27). But we are able to make decisions on what we spend time doing each day. In other words, while we definitionally can’t “make” time, we certainly can “use” it wisely. 

 

4 Tips for “Using Time” to Exercise

 

For years, I had jobs that required me to be onsite every day. I was spending on average 9 hours a day at work, not including my 30-minute commute (~10 hours door to door each day). With a growing family (two kids 4 and under) and other responsibilities (church, music, etc…), placing exercise in my schedule was a perpetual challenge.

The introduction of remote work has been an absolute game-changer for me over the last several months. But for years I used the following approach and schedule (and still do to some degree even with a flexible work schedule), which allows for regularity and consistency in my routine.  
  

#1: Exercise 3-4x a week

 

Each week I target 3-4 exercise sessions. 5 tends to be too much with my other responsibilities, and 2 is not enough to provide my body with ample time during the week for focused movement. On days that I don’t have a workout planned, I rest. On these rest days, I typically incorporate “active rest” activities like family walks, family swims, family bike rides, etc…

 

#2: Workout in the Morning

 

Working out in the morning accomplishes two things for me.

Firstly, I finish my workout right away. I’ve found that the longer I wait to complete a workout, the more time other responsibilities (family, work, church, relationships, etc…) have to fill in that void throughout the day.  It’s very easy to let a workout slip away amongst the unannounced but important activities and needs that arise during the day.

Secondly, working out in the morning takes away the tension I’ve felt about using my time towards exercise and not my family. I try to exercise in the morning when my wife and kids are asleep. This allows me to be more present and engaged with them during the afternoons and evenings when I’m home from work and they are awake.

Practically, the time I wake up is set based on the time I need to leave for work. When I factor in the time also spent in the mornings on scripture reading, prayer, and family, I’ve found that I need to wake up 2-2.5 hours before I leave for work.

 

#3: Target 30-45 minute sessions

 

I used to think spending 60+ minutes in the gym exercising is what my body needed to be strong. However, if you have a well-designed program and are efficient with your time spent exercising, you don’t need to spend 60+ minutes a session exercising. 30-45 minute sessions at 3-4x a week are all you need for body stewardship.

 

#4: Utilize a Home Gym

 

A home gym does not have to look like your local brick-and-mortar gym. You just need to have the basics. If you exercise with just your bodyweight, you don’t need much equipment at all! If you are looking for some ideas to get you started, you can read this post I wrote about the minimalist home gym. 

 

 

Having a home gym saves me a massive amount of time, which I then can invest back into exercise. This time savings clicked several years ago when I added up the minutes I spent commuting to my local gym.

Let’s say you exercise at a local gym, and it’s 15 minutes away. If you exercise 3x a week at your local gym, you will spend:

• 90 minutes commuting to the gym per week (that’s 3, 30-minute workout sessions)
• 360 minutes commuting to the gym per month (that’s 12, 30-minute workout sessions)
• 1,080 minutes commuting to the gym per quarter (that’s 36, 30-minute workout sessions)
• 4,320 minutes commuting to the gym each year (that’s 144, 30-minute workout sessions)

If you are struggling with finding time to exercise each week, having a home gym can help alleviate the time burden. 

 

Sample Weekly & Morning Routines

 

Here’s what my weekly schedule looks like, depending on how many times I am exercising. 

Week Schedule
Day	3x a week	4x a week
Monday	Rest	Exercise
Tuesday	Exercise	Rest
Wednesday	Rest	Exercise
Thursday	Exercise	Rest
Friday	Rest	Exercise
Saturday	Exercise	Exercise
Sunday	Rest	Rest

 

Here’s a rough sketch of what my morning routine looks like for exercise & rest days. I set my alarm ~2.5 hours before I leave for work. 

 

Morning Routine (Mon. – Fri.)
Time	Workout Day	Rest Day
4:45a – 5:00a	Wake Up (drink water, start 1st cup of coffee)	Wake Up (drink water, start 1st cup of coffee)
5:00a – 5:30a	Bible/Prayer Time	Bible/Prayer Time
5:30a – 6/6:15a	Workout	Side Hustles/Reading/Etc…
6/6:15a – 6:45a	Time with my Wife	Time with my Wife
6:45a – 7:15a	Get Ready for Work/Kids (if awake)	Get Ready for Work/Kids (if awake)
7:15a – 7:30a	Leave for Work	Leave for Work

 

I try to wake up at the same time each day during the week (Monday – Friday), which helps maintain consistency and routine. I also try going to bed at the same time each day during the week, which tends to fall between 9:00p – 9:30p each day. On Saturdays, I do not follow this routine, but I sleep in, and my wife and I find time Saturday mornings to exercise together.

 

Like I said before, I am not preaching perfection. There are days and weeks where I do not follow this to a T. But the slow, steady, and diligent commitment to this routine has helped me use time for exercise over years.