Lack of time is the most common excuse for not training. Whether the excuse is because of your job, family or other responsibilities, the lack of time is just an excuse. Training is time consuming, and sometimes keeping the harmony at home isn’t easy, but you’re not the first one to go through it and make it work and you won’t be the last. Balancing your life and training is easy with these few tips.
Get Creative
Triathletes have found many creative ways to fit training into a busy life. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Here are several ideas:
- Ride your bike to work or the store – get a workout in while you actually do something you have to do.
- Invest in a treadmill and run on it in the evening while your kids play.
- Take the family to the lake or pool and swim while your kids play in the water if they’re old enough; or while your spouse watches the kids, then switch places and let your spouse have his/her turn.
- Use your lunch hour to get in some core and/or strength work or an extra swim.
- Train in the early morning while your family is sleeping before your day even gets started then it’s done.
- Include your family in the workouts:
- Push your kids in the stroller while you run.
- Use a bike trailer to pull your kids around town or do hill repeats with them in tow.
- When you need to go for a long run, have your family meet you for a picnic lunch at a designated spot.
- Include your kids on your long runs – let them bike beside you, carry your water and chat with you. It’s a great bonding experience.
Make a Schedule
Sit down and look at your daily schedule and see when you can schedule your training time. Do you really need to watch two hours of television each night? Some of that time could be used to be training for that next race. Create a schedule without the excess waste and then stick to it!
Be Prepared
Being prepared is a big key to time management. Pack your training gear ahead of time – the night before – so you’re more likely to go because you’re already prepared.
Be Consistent
This is one of the most important characteristics of effective training. Even if you don’t always have time for a complete workout, try to do some kind of workout. Many triathletes think a 20-minute workout isn’t worth the effort, but it is. Twenty minutes of an intense workout is better than no workout at all. Save the long, big training sessions for the weekend if you must when you have less work/life pressures.
Focus on Quality
Quality over quantity. Increase the quality before you ever increase the quantity. Balance is one of the best characteristics of effective training and of a healthy lifestyle.
I hope these tips will help you better balance your training and the rest of the time management in your life. If you need help to build a consistent training schedule into your life and stick with it, contact me. I can help you reach your fitness and racing goals sooner than you think!
