The most pressing question for most of us is: how to manage everything when there are only 24 hours in a day?
The hardest thing is to include sports into your usual schedule, which includes work, communication with family, meetings with friends and household chores. After all, it is training that we sacrifice most often.
As the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates said: “Whoever wants, looks for opportunities, whoever doesn’t want, looks for reasons.”
Therefore, today we will tell you how to combine work and training - for everyone who is looking for opportunities! And if you haven’t decided yet whether to play sports, then imagine how your life will change:
- You will get a toned, slender, elastic figure;
- Each workout will be accompanied by the release of happiness hormones into the blood;
- Strong-willed qualities of character and determination will be strengthened!
If you're already motivated enough, let's find time to workout!
What is the difficulty of combining work and sports?
Why is there always no time to train? Each person will have their own reason:
- Work and household chores are very tiring. After a busy day, you want to relax. And sport is not perceived as an activity for pleasure;
- Due to my work schedule, there is no opportunity to study in the evening. And in the morning before work I want to get some sleep. It is almost impossible to force yourself to get out of bed. And even if you go out for training one day, then the desire quickly disappears;
- Because I work in an office, I have almost no time for sports. It's a long road to work in the morning and back in the evening. At home: business, family;
- Working shifts makes it difficult to create a training plan. The schedule changes all the time, sleep gets lost. The feeling of fatigue and weakness is constantly present.
Whatever the situation is in your schedule, we will help you fix it. To figure out how to combine sports and work, let’s first clarify what criteria a good workout meets.
How to train if you work shifts
It is convenient to combine a shift work schedule, for example, “two after two” with fitness classes. You can choose the time for training yourself, focusing on your own preferences, body characteristics and circumstances.
“Go to study at a time convenient for you and free from work,” says Edward Kazaryan. — You can do a two-day marathon. For example, on your first day off you go to the pool and do stretching, and on your second free day you devote to cardio and functional training. Don’t give up physical exercise completely on weekdays either—do exercises in the morning for 15-20 minutes to keep your body in good shape.”
If you need to work out after a working day, this will be a kind of unloading. Swimming and stretching are again ideal for this. You can also choose this option. “The first free day should be given to light loads, such as cardio, circuit training,” says Valentin Zinin. “And devote the second day to more serious exercises, for example, strength training.”
The main principles of effective training
The main principle of proper training is alignment with goals. If you started training at the same time as your neighbor, but his goal is to lose weight, and your goal is to win a marathon, then the physical level of stress will be different.
If your work schedule is really very busy and there is no time left for sports, then it is better to set an easily achievable goal. Then you will not have disappointment and feelings of frustration.
A few more principles of effective training:
- Systematicity - work according to a specific plan;
- Regularity - otherwise you can lose the results you have already achieved and get injured;
- Gradual - you can increase the load only by 10% per week;
- And a positive attitude!
How to exercise if you are engaged in heavy physical labor
According to Edward Kazaryan, in this case it is better to choose calm group training such as BODY&MIND or FLEX FIT. They will unload the body, relieve emotional stress, and speed up recovery processes. You can attend strength or functional classes once a week, but it all depends on your current condition.
It’s more difficult if your work requires a lot of physical stress and high energy costs, and at the same time you would like to build up decent muscle mass by doing strength training. Muscles will not grow at a good pace because they will not be able to fully recover between workouts. Try to find an opportunity to rest more and move less on the day of class, saving as much energy as possible for training.
“Do moderate to high intensity strength training two to three times a week,” advises Valentin Zinin. You can try drinking special pre-workout complexes that promote rapid muscle recovery and growth and increase endurance.
Tips for combining sports and work
So, we got to the fun part! Now we will try to answer the question: how to properly combine running and work?
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Planning your week
The first rule for an athlete is time management. You shouldn't feel like you're sacrificing anything important to you for the sport, or that you have to rush through it.
Running or exercising in the gym should take place at a clearly designated time, without unnecessary fuss and haste.
To do this, you need to make plans not for the day, but immediately for the week ahead. Otherwise, you may be faced with a pile of tasks on the day of training and lose your schedule.
How to properly distribute your tasks?
Using gliders
You can have a planner-notebook to write down your tasks for the week. Please note that when drawing up a schedule, it is important to follow the recommendations:
- Place the heaviest and most important tasks at the beginning of the week/morning of each day. And the easiest and most minor ones are at the end of the day/work week;
- Be sure to leave time for force majeure situations and tasks. Don’t plan every day minute by minute, otherwise you will feel like a slave to time;
- Try to make plans realistically. Don't force yourself to overwork or train too much. After intense training, you will be able to do less physical work, and after light training, on the contrary, you will be active.
For example, if you have a house cleaning scheduled, schedule it for the day after a recovery run rather than after intervals or strength training.
Applications
Today there are a huge number of mobile applications that will help you keep track of your daily routine, duplicate tasks, and remind you of meetings and workouts. They will take the burden of anxiety and tension off your shoulders.
By the way, scientific and technological progress makes all areas of life easier, which saves a lot of time. You can install an application to control your finances, order online a set of groceries in supermarkets and home delivery, pay utilities, manage your smart home. This will help you free up your energy and time for sports.
Flexible calendar
Obviously, we cannot calculate all events. Therefore, in order to combine work and training, taking into account unexpected late meetings, business trips, your schedule must be flexible.
This means that your morning or afternoon workout can be moved to the evening, or you can replace running with restorative stretching in your hotel room.
The main thing is not to give up playing sports, but to stay in shape. This forms a habit, a love for sports, and then there will always be time.
Limiting inappropriate time
When we think about going for a run or going to the gym, we think it will take too much time. Although we are most often talking about an hour-long workout.
Now let's think about how much time we spend on social networks, watching TV or drinking with friends? Time to get rid of the “time killers” in our lives!
Social media
The modern world is consumed by social networks. Everyone has found their place for virtual life: Telegram, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, VK, Odnoklassniki. The danger of social networks is that time flies there unnoticed. These are the easiest endorphins that can be obtained without difficulty. Therefore, a real addiction is formed.
Because of this problem, special tracker applications have been developed that count your time spent on social networks.
When you receive daily and weekly reports, you will be surprised how much time you could save on sports!
TV
TV poses a double threat. Not only does it kill time, but it also prevents us from getting enough sleep. People often fall asleep watching TV. Such a dream is very superficial and unhealthy. As a result, the next day you feel weak and have decreased performance. Things are piling up, but there is no energy left for sports.
Bad habits
It is difficult to combine sports and work with bad habits. After all, smoking causes stagnation of mucus in the lungs - gas exchange is disrupted. During sports training, the muscles lack oxygen.
Alcohol negatively affects the brain (coordination of movements, reaction speed), muscles, blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and removes fluid from the body. An additional factor is feeling unwell from a hangover, when you don’t feel like working or playing sports.
Healthy sleep and nutrition
Mental activity, like physical activity, requires energy. If you don't eat right or don't get enough sleep, then the energy simply won't come from anywhere.
Productivity drops: you have to stay late at the office and take work home. There is no time left for training, as well as energy.
To combine work and training, you need to sleep at least 7.5 hours a day and consume all nutrients, minerals and vitamins with food. It’s also important to monitor your water balance! Then you will become more productive, which means you will have strength and free time.
Calculating training time
It is difficult to fit fitness or jogging into a busy schedule when there is no clear understanding of the duration of the activity.
To calculate the exact training time, you need to run several times, calculating your speed. Knowing the speed and mileage you plan to cover, it’s easy to determine the training time. For example, if you run 5 km and your speed is 5:30 min/km, then the workout will take 27 minutes. Add 10 minutes of warm-up, 10 minutes of cool-down - a total of 47 minutes.
Agree, it’s much easier to plan this way!
Smart training plan
A smart training plan is tailored to your work. For example, if you work in shifts, then it is important to take this factor into account when distributing the load.
- After night shifts, you will have daytime sleep, which is more superficial and less physiological than night sleep. Therefore, we advise you to do light workouts;
- If the shift is daytime, then the training can be more intense. This is followed by a healthy night's sleep with complete restoration of the body!
Lessons with a trainer
An experienced trainer will be able to take into account all the features of your schedule in order to arrange your workouts with maximum efficiency. For example, heavy training will occur on weekends. The beginning of the week, which is busiest with work, will be restorative. And the middle is relatively intense.
Registration for the competition
Do you know the expression: “I see the goal - I see no obstacles”? This is exactly what we need. Set yourself a goal - to participate in a specific start. Let it be 5 or 10 km to start with. But be sure to register for the race so that it becomes not a ghostly dream, but a real goal!
To prepare for different starts, there are special training plans and applications. This will help you motivate yourself, give you passion and excitement. You will find time for short workouts, and you definitely won’t sit in front of the TV.
Community running
The most convenient way to combine sports and work is when you run with colleagues. You can become the organizer of a running community in your team, and discuss with your superiors possible incentives for its participants!
But this is not the only option. You can find people of similar interests not at work, but in your area by creating a group on social networks. Or join an existing club.
A great option is to train with the whole family. This is an active pastime that will give you a lot of emotions, benefits, and communication with family.
Participation in interactive events
Adults also love games; it allows them to get carried away with something. Now there are special running apps that allow you to participate in various challenges and competitions with runners around the world!
You can post your photos on your profile, communicate, and feel part of the sports community. For motivation, we recommend subscribing to running bloggers and participating in their activities.
Combination with everyday activities
Well, perhaps the most practical advice on how to combine running and work: do not set aside separate time for running, but implement it into your schedule:
- If you work within 10 km of home, you can jog on your way to or from work. The first option is suitable if you have a shower at work. The only thing you need to consider is that you will have to wear a change of clothes;
- The lunch break can also be partially used for physical activity. Most often he is a sentry. Therefore, you can run for half an hour + eat for half an hour. Just close the carbohydrate-protein window!
- Going to the store, to the post office, or for any other errand can turn into a workout. The main thing is to have the appropriate equipment and assess the situation. Better to run on the way back home;
- Combine a run with listening to audiobooks, podcasts, lectures that you would listen to while sitting on the couch at home. This way you can combine business with pleasure and save time.
Now let's find out if these tips can be put into practice?
Rule of three
Chris Bailey, author of the book “My Productive Year” 365 days, tested various time management techniques. He later selected only 25 of them. One of the most effective is the rule of three. It's quite simple - choose the three most important things to do today and focus on them. This will help you not to be scattered on several meaningless tasks.
Include exercise in this short list. As you know, a person only needs 21 days to get used to something. Later, you won’t have to add workouts to this list, because they will become routine for you, something like brushing your teeth in the morning.
At the beginning of each day, think back to the end of the day and ask yourself, “When this day ends, what three things would I like to see accomplished?” Write down what these three things are. Do the same at the beginning of each week.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Interviews with runners of different professions
Katya, 24 years old, waiter at the “Osoka” restaurant
“Anyone who works in public catering understands what the schedule is like. Or rather, he understands that he is simply absent. You may be asked to work 7 or even 8 shifts in a row. Sometimes the cafe needs to close, so I stay until midnight and take a taxi back home.
Combining work and training is extremely difficult. Moreover, I spend the whole day on my feet. But running is part of my life, and I really want to take part in a half marathon this fall.
Therefore, after late shifts, I get enough sleep and go for a run in the morning at about 7 o’clock. I work from 10-11 am, so I have time to sleep, eat and work out. Then I quickly wash myself, change clothes and run to my shift.
It’s a pity that there’s no place to wash at work, so I could run to work and sleep longer. I hope that with this training regimen I will have time to prepare for my first half!”
Vlad, 32 years old, web analyst
“I work in an IT company, I track time. Therefore, I always know what time my working day ends and begins. Sometimes I take on additional tasks to increase my earnings. But despite a clear schedule, it’s difficult for me to combine running and work.
I want to spend time with my family, meet friends, and relax. And combining all this with jogging is almost impossible. I can’t force myself to get up in the morning.
But it is very important for a man to maintain physical fitness, especially when the work is sedentary. I am aware of this.
So, after several unsuccessful attempts to start running, I turned to a trainer to create an easy training plan for me. I needed runs to keep me fit but not overloaded. My coach advised me to join a running club. And, as they say, life was divided into before and after.
I got so involved in these workouts and found so many running fans that I brought my wife and even some friends along with me. Let's run and have fun together. My wife even surpassed me in terms of results: she’s already preparing for the top ten.”
Alena, 46 years old, director of the Ostin store
“I have a very responsible job, the store is quite large. Therefore, periodic inventory, goods reception, season closings take up all my time.
Considering that at home I have cooking, cleaning, homework with the children, communication with my husband, who is also constantly busy, it was difficult to fit jogging into my schedule.
So I decided to run during my lunch break in our shopping center on the treadmill in the gym! I bought a subscription and go there as if it were my home. There is a shower there, you can leave your things in the locker - just take it and run.
When I lost the first 3 kg in a month without any diets or weight loss teas, I immediately bought a subscription for a year.
I’ve already figured out the programs: I run intervals, tempo, and uphill. You can't pull me off the path by my ears. I recommend it to everyone if you don’t have time and there’s a gym nearby! Saving time and effort. You just can’t save money.”
Eat the frog
The author of the book “Time Management,” Brian Tracy, is convinced that everyone should start their morning by eating a “frog,” that is, you need to do what is most unpleasant for you first. Once you accomplish something difficult, everything else seems too easy to be upset about.
Start your day with a workout - jogging in the park or going to the nearest gym. This will definitely add energy and strength to you for further work.
You must tell yourself: “My life is meaningful and important, and I value every minute and every hour of it. I will use these hours well to achieve the most I can in the time I have.
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Chronic fatigue
There is also reliable information about the so-called “chronic fatigue”, when you constantly feel weak and lack of tone, decreased immunity, irritability, and uncertainty. In the vast majority of cases, it is due to just a few simple reasons.
Excess sweets lead to constant overload of the pancreas, which produces insulin. And excessive consumption of fatty foods leads to even greater overload of the same pancreas due to stimulation of the adrenal cortex, which produces adrenaline (so that the pancreas produces even more insulin). This kind of “adrenaline addiction” caused by excessive and unreasonable nutrition quickly depletes the body, although if you count only calories, it seems like it should be the other way around. But calories are not all we need...
If you conduct such a simple analysis of your life and take adequate measures, your energy will increase significantly.
Say no
It sounds trivial, but this is the rule that can free up your day for more important things. We must remember that it will not always be possible to be “convenient” for everyone. It is necessary, first of all, to value your time and not to be scattered with small requests that a person can or should fulfill on his own.
In Damon Zachariadis's book, Stop Being Comfortable. How to learn to say “NO” without remorse” makes it clear that the word “no” is your chance to focus on the tasks at hand and not waste time chasing something useless. Make a plan for the day and try to comply with all the points, of course, one of which should be training.
If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will do it for you.
Simple conclusion:
The simplest and smoothest way to regulate fatigue is to manage your training approaches. Therefore, the unit of measurement of my methodology is precisely approaches. Ordinary people manage to do their 75 approaches per week.
Skillful management of fatigue and wise distribution of forces between the wife, management and training allows forty-year-old men to remain wealthy, happy, healthy and beautiful.
Sometimes men reach this understanding by the age of forty, but most often they lose their jobs, family and health. Managers and wives lose workers and breadwinners, and then run to psychologists to change their attitude towards life.
So what do you choose: managing physiological fatigue today or psycho-correction when there is no time, money and health tomorrow?
If you smiled or were sad, then be my friend on Facebook, try the hassle-free fitness training program and take part in the online fitness club for free - see the video:
When everyone is happy
Usually I select the load so that a person has enough strength for five approaches and still has the strength to get to work or home, so that management or his wife are satisfied.
Contentment of management at work and wife at home is a prerequisite for the survival of successful and busy people in urban environments. Training should not violate these conditions, but should be sufficient to stimulate muscle growth.
Further, a person gets used to everything, and physiologists call such habituation adaptation.
If a twenty-year-old man finds the first approach easy, he is in a hurry to hang the disc on the barbell as quickly as possible in order to appear stronger in the eyes of others.
For forty-year-olds, such haste can upset the balance of the triangle: training, leadership, wife. When the structure shakes, who do you think will get hurt? What will happen: dismissal, divorce or “no time for fitness”?
