Late last year, I started an exercise and diet plan that's been fairly effective in helping me to maintain a healthy weight and build muscle mass. The only problem is that the routine is fairly time-consuming.
Early this spring, I began feeling mildly depressed that by the time I finished making meals for the day and working out, I literally had no time to write in the morning before heading out to my day job.
I finally realized that something had to give. Would I have to stop working out and become the cliche of a writer who indulges in unhealthy habits - smoking, drinking and never going anywhere near a gym?
Fortunately, no.
I figured out that by getting up a little earlier and changing my morning routine around a bit, I could consistently carve out a little block of time each morning to write and work on other creative projects.
Here's how I did it:
"Making time" in the morning really comes down to a simple equation. Since I have to be at my day job at 8 a.m., getting up between 4 and 5 a.m. is necessary to get anything accomplished before I leave the house. Yes, this is literally the crack of dawn - maybe even a little before the crack creaks open - but you gotta do what you gotta do.
It occurred to me that if I replaced the morning meal on my exercise and diet plan with something quick and ready to eat like a protein bar or shake, that would save time that I previously spent piddling around the kitchen.
Also, if I head down to my finished basement to exercise as soon as I wake up instead of delaying my workout until later in the morning, I can tailor my workout to how much time I have. Depending on how many times I hit the "snooze" button when my alarm goes off, this sometimes means cutting my workout a little short, such as saving the abdominal routine at the end of a weightlifting session for later in the day when I get home from work.
And although I enjoy working out at home alone, I also joined a downtown gym near my job so that I can work out on my lunch hour if I'm really in a time crunch in the morning.
Making these adjustments has enabled me to spend 15 to 30 minutes writing or working on other creative projects most weekdays. That may not sound like much, but I'm often surprised at how much can be accomplished in a half hour of uninterrupted, totally focused time. Try holding a grueling yoga pose or stretch for 30 minutes straight and you'll realize just how much of an eternity that can seem.
And little blocks of time throughout the week add up, especially when combined with longer segments on weekends. By the end of a week, these sessions can equal a completed chapter or two in the book I'm working on. I'm also a filmmaker, and these mini-sessions have helped me complete a series of edits on the documentary I'm putting the finishing touches on.
The bottom line: Making minor adjustments and adapting workouts and other lifestyle programs to fit your individual needs can help you get things done. A few extra minutes each day may not seem like much, but something is better than nothing.
