How to find the time for PLAY (exercise) when you think you can’t!

Tip No. 7: Be honest about your time

So many clients get trapped believing they don’t have time to exercise because they think they need an hour to “work out” (which isn’t true, by the way — that’s how trainers get paid: by the hour).

Even if you do work out, being sedentary all day and thinking you can negate sitting at your desk by a tiny dose of movement doesn’t add up either. The critical point is to add frequent play (movement) breaks throughout your day so that you not only improve your health — but it’s sustainable!  

What brings you joy? Is there a way you can infuse play into your day without it seeming like another thing to do on your “to-do” list?

For my book, The Play Book: How To Get In The Habit Of Good Health, I interviewed several of my favourite experts in the health and wellness field. One of them is my friend and mentor, Lisanne Thomas.  

Lisanne is a joy chaser, community builder, and personal transformation artist. From an educator, motivator and coach extraordinaire, Lisanne works as an ADHD whole-health coach. She is currently CEO of doinggreat.ca. 

In our discussion around people being honest about their time and avoiding getting active, Lisanne talks about catching herself falling into the convenience of life.  

“I’d go watch my kids play soccer and be, where am I going to sit? You can’t stand and watch! You have to go and sit! 

And get up and go back to the car, and then go pick something up for lunch, and then sit on the couch and watch TV, then go to work and sit down. It felt very sedentary. 

When the kids wanted to go outside and play, I’d be like, ‘Oh, you guys just go and I’ll watch!’

I realized I didn’t want to be that person. And the only reason I was that I didn’t feel comfortable moving my body. I realized that the only way I would get comfortable moving my body was if I started moving my body. I think that’s true for all of us.”

We agree that exercising is an essential part of anyone’s proactive approach to health.  

“I coach people NOT to put exercise on the list. Instead, if they happen to get something done — like a 10-minute walk or taking a few flights of stairs — then put that on a Ta-Da! List. They record all of their ta-das! after the fact, not beforehand.”

You do have time to find small movement breaks in your day! Why not make your own ta-da list?

Play on!

xox Coach Jan

P.S. If you are ready to start making some positive changes to your health and want help to find more time to play, let’s talk!

• Sign up for the free 7 Days of Healthy Habits Course and discover how to learn to build fun and sustainable — yet simple — habits in just one week, no matter how busy or stressed life gets. 
• Book a free discovery call or email me at info@janetomstead.com.