I started to take fitness seriously during a period when I was not taking any classes, so I had to adapt my routine quite a bit when I started taking classes again. It boils down to three things: a realistic routine, preparation and organization, and discipline.
A realistic routine is one that makes it the easiest for you to stick to it. If you are not a morning person, don’t schedule 5 a.m. workouts five days a week before class. If you rely on public transit, factor in commute time. If you know that you have a day where you have to work and go to class, maybe schedule a rest day. Within your routine, it’s important to use your time wisely. I take public transit and it’s at least an hour and a half each way to campus, so I often use that time to do my readings. I will also watch videos and lectures while I’m on the treadmill at the end of my workout.
Being organized will save you. This is not my strong suit, but I’ve developed a few tips and tricks to keep myself on track that might help you out as well. On Sunday, I sit down with my work schedule, my assignment due dates, and my workout program and I write down every one of my commitments and due dates for the week. Once I have those in my calendar, I schedule my workouts for the week around that. This ensures that I am prioritizing school while also doing the things I love. This has been a pretty fool proof system for me so far, but there are weeks where I have to more flexible and spend more time doing schoolwork than I do in the gym, which is totally okay! It’s all about finding the right balance.
While a realistic routine and some good organization can help you a lot, a schedule like this requires a lot of discipline. It’s really easy to make excuses and say that you’re too tired to workout after a busy day, but sometimes you just have to push through and do it. Every time that I consider skipping a workout and end up going, I feel so proud. Every time you push through, you’re practicing discipline and showing yourself that you are capable of doing hard things. It is important to note that there is a difference between discipline and pushing yourself past your limits. If your body isn’t properly fuelled and needs to rest, listen to it.