How to Make Time for Working Out at University
It’s no secret that university students are extremely busy. As well as taking classes and studying, you want to spend time with friends, you likely belong to at least a couple clubs, and you may even have a part-time job. This barely leaves any more hours in the day. However, it’s important to make time for workouts, as exercising regularly will keep you physically healthy and help you feel good. If you’re struggling to fit workouts into your week, there are a few things you can do.
1. Add Workouts to Your Schedule
You’ll have less of an excuse to miss workouts if they’re part of your schedule. Like other activities you would never consider skipping — such as classes, appointments with your professors, and meetings for clubs — see your workout as important commitments rather than something you do only if you have free time.
2. Workout in the Morning
If your day is already packed with activities, free up some extra time in the morning by waking up earlier and starting your day with a workout. Although you may want to hit the snooze button the first few days you try this, you’ll likely start looking forward to your morning workouts eventually. This is because exercising early in the day releases endorphins that improve your mood and boosts your energy levels for the whole day. It should also push you to keep to a bedtime, which will mean you sleep enough every night.
3. Find Activities You Enjoy
A great thing about university is it gives you the chance to experiment with all sorts of new activities. This includes sports and other types of exercise. If you’ve never enjoyed working out, it could just be because you haven’t discovered an activity that resonates with you yet. Take advantage of all the opportunities available to you at university, including the fitness classes, sports teams, and electives that involve some kind of exercise.
4. Keep Trying New Things
Always doing the same activity can become boring after a while. Besides, it may mean you’re neglecting a particular muscle group or type of exercise — for optimal health, your weekly exercise routines should involve a combination of cardio, strength building, flexibility, and balance.
5. Find a Workout Buddy
Many people find it more fun to exercise with someone else. Make sure you choose a workout buddy with a similar level of fitness to you and who you know will be reliable about sticking to a schedule. You can spot each other at the gym, create your own routines, or attend new fitness classes together — you may find this less intimidating than going on your own.
6. Give Yourself a Day Off
Allow yourself one day of rest a week — but usually try to wait until the end of the week to use it. If you’re exhausted or too busy for a workout one day, you won’t need to feel bad about not sticking to your schedule. Limiting yourself to just one day off, though, will ensure you don’t fall back into bad habits.
You’re more likely to find the time to workout if you can exercise where you live. Dorms tend to be too cramped for even a basic routine, but having your own bedroom in an apartment should mean you have plenty of space. The Revalie offers spacious rooms for rent near Carleton University. In fact, we do better than just providing you with a bedroom: we have a 6,500-square-foot fitness centre on site, complete with a yoga and pilates studio, cardio bar, and free weights area. Take a virtual tour to check out all our great amenities before you apply for a lease.