Stop Sacrificing Runs Because You’re “Busy” (with Video)

We are all busy.

Life is blowing by us at a million miles and hour, and sometimes we just wind up with so much on our plate that something has to give.

As much as it saddens me to admit this, there are (too many) times that running is the thing to go to make room for other “stuff”.

Stop Sacrificing Runs Because You Have a Busy Life

Life isn’t going to slow down for many of us any time soon.

Are You Sacrificing Runs Due to the Speed of Life?

So in order to continue to find time for the things we most need in our lives, and running is definitely on that list for me, we may have to be willing to be creative and/or make some sacrifices.

Here are some ways that I’ve been able to make sure that my runs happen more often than not, no matter what else is going on in my life.

• Get Up Early: This one took some getting used to, but I’m definitely now a morning runner. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t prefer the mid-day run once in awhile, I just know that if I commit to getting up and running first thing I’m not going to “get too busy” that day. Not a morning person? I can help you with that too.
• Schedule Your Runs: If you schedule your priorities, and fill in the space with the other “stuff” of life, you’ll be much more consistent. I understand that your schedule might already be pretty full, but see what you can do to carve out a little more time a few days each week and then get your workouts on the calendar.
• Invent Time: This is one of my favorite tricks. If there is one thing I hate, it’s sitting around waiting for the next “thing” on my schedule. I always keep a pair of running shoes in my car, and if I’ve got 30 minutes to kill between personal training appointments, I’ll go ahead an knock off a couple of miles. You may not have a job that allows you to show up all sweaty and smelly like I do, but there might be other ways to invent some time in your life. While waiting for the kids to finish soccer practice/dance classes/piano lessons maybe?
• Financial Motivation: One of the greatest motivators in our modern society is money. If you’re really struggling to stay consistent, yet you’re serious about achieving your running goals, why not put your money where your mouth is? Signing up for a race, and having the threat of showing up unprepared at the starting line, can be a huge catalyst to prioritizing your runs. And if you want to take that a step farther, maybe hiring a coach that can help hold you accountable would make sense for you. There are few things that light a fire under my arse like the potential for throwing money away, and hiring a coach that you don’t use is as close to throwing money away as it gets. Questions about any of the coaching options that I have available? Just let me know!

Figure Out What Works Best for You

Want to know the real secret to stop sacrificing runs to a busy life?

So do I.

There really isn’t one.

What you have to do is figure out what works best for you. And most likely, that is going to be some combination of several different things.

You might try a few options from this list, you might already be doing something that isn’t on this list, but finding your key to consistency really boils down to doing whatever works best for you.

Hopefully these ideas will at least help you get started down that path.

What Works Best for You When It Comes To Making Sure Your Runs Happen on a Regular Basis?