As a college student, this is something I struggle with often. From taking 15 credits, having a job, being a member of a sorority and many other clubs and extracurriculars, it is very difficult to be able to find an hour or two in a day day, to put all of my other responsibilities aside and be 100% on my mat. Moving our bodies is so vital for our mental health, strength, healthy skin and so much more. There are many ways I have tried to implement at least 60 minutes of exercise, 5 times a week into my routine including:
Enjoying the activity that I’m doing! If I turn going to the gym or yoga into a chore, I will only dread doing it more so. By finding activities that I enjoy, and switching up my routine (different types of yoga, taking a long walk outside, different youtube videos, and so on), I am much happier to break up my regular routine and get out of the library or classroom for something fun and different every day!
Be active in your daily life. As students and adults with jobs, we are often sitting at desks and chairs for most hours of the day. Rather than taking the elevator, take the stairs. Instead of ordering food to your desk, walk to the nearest shop and grab something. There are so many simple things that you can do throughout your day to ensure that you are not glued to a chair and moving around, even for just 10 minutes, to get your heartrate up and ensure some movement to make you feel better.
Pay attention to your amount of screen time and take a break from technology. When I spend hours and hours in front of a laptop getting homework done, more hours staring at a screen at work, and then finally go home to and binge watch Love Island and catch up on Instagram. Rather than spending more time in front of technology, I can use that extra free time to go outside and move around.
While those three steps are very broad and brief, they are such simple and miniscule ways to change your entire routine to fit in even just 30 minutes of moving your body! Personally, days that I don’t get enough exercise, I often find myself eating more at meals, wanting to snack more on unhealthier food and most importantly, not sleeping well enough. When I do get that extra workout in, I feel more motivated, energized, sleepier and healthier. Put in that extra work and you will too.
on and off the mat 