Last week we talked about injuries and how they can slow progress without stopping it completely.
This week, I want to shift to another obstacle I hear often, and one that almost everyone can relate to at some point.
Time.
"I just don't have time" is probably the most common thing I hear when it comes to exercise and taking care of your health (sleep, nutrition, stress management, etc.). And in many cases, it feels completely true. Life is full. Schedules are busy. Responsibilities don't pause.
I understand that, because I've lived it since I can remember.
There were years where I was working more than 40 hours a week, raising three kids, and managing everything along with that. Cooking, cleaning, driving, showing up for everyone else. It's a full schedule, and it doesn't leave much room for anything extra.
Over time, I realized that it wasn't that there was no time. It was that I had to be very intentional about how I used it.
For me, the most wiggle room seems to come from screen time. It's easy for a few minutes here or there to turn into much more without realizing it. Becoming aware of that alone can open up small pockets of time that can be used more intentionally.
I also have a few nonnegotiables that help anchor my routine. Daily walks, morning devotional, biweekly food prepping, and getting to bed early are priorities for me. Of course, there are times when that doesn't all happen, like during travel or especially busy stretches, but I stick to those habits the majority of the time.
That consistently makes everything else easier.
Movement doesn't always require a large block of time. It can fit into smaller parts of your day if you're willing to look for them. Sometimes it's a quick walk instead of scrolling, a shorter workout instead of waiting for the perfect window, or simply doing something rather than nothing.
And sometimes we eat the same meals over and over with with very minor changes, while my social life is not too exciting since I'm usually in my pajamas at 8. But it's a choice I make and to me, it's worth it.
None of it has to be complicated to be effective.
As you move through this week, it might be worth taking a closer look at how your time is actually spent. Not to judge, but just to understand it a little better and see if there's a small pocket that could be used differently.
If there is, that's a place to start.
And if your schedule feels overwhelming, sometimes having a simple, realistic plan makes it easier to follow through. That's something I'm always happy to help with.
Next week, we'll talk about another common obstacle: energy.
For now, focus less on finding more time, and more on using the time you already have.