How to Make Time for Exercise When You’re Busy
For many people, finding time for exercise can be overwhelming if you’re dealing with a busy schedule week-in week-out.
Exercise and mental health are intrinsically linked; physical activity releases endorphins (natural mood lifters) that can help reduce stress and anxiety. With Stress Awareness Month focusing our attention this April, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at how physical activity can be a powerful tool for managing mental wellbeing. Physical activity isn’t just about maintaining and building cardiovascular fitness. It’s a critical tool for managing the exhausting pressures of work, relationships, and family commitments, helping to preserve mental clarity and overall wellbeing. Exercise can be both enjoyable and manageable, even if you’re working long hours or finding that your mental health makes it difficult to maintain a consistent routine. Short bursts of movement can still boost energy levels, improve sleep quality and enhance our sense of achievement.
It’s easy, however, for exercise to drop down a notch in terms of our day-to-day priorities when we’re feeling anxious, low, or overwhelmed. But with a few simple time management tips, you can reap enough physical and mental benefits of exercise without compromising your busy schedule too much. Here are some straightforward tips to help you find sufficient time for exercise when you’ve got a lot going on.
Start small: the five-minute rule
One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that it needs to be intense or time-consuming to be worthwhile. The reality is that small, incremental amounts of activity can make a dramatic difference to your mental and physical wellbeing. A great way to start is by trying the five-minute rule. Commit to just five minutes of movement, which could be gentle stretching, walking around your garden, or doing some simple exercises at home. Often, you’ll find you want to continue once you’ve started, but if not, that’s perfectly fine – you’ve still achieved an important goal.
Find your preferred type of exercise
Everyone’s relationship with exercise is different, and what works for one person might not work for another. Being physically active can take many forms, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be confined to going to a local gym. There are far more choices that can more readily align with your own routine.
The key is finding activities that you genuinely enjoy:
- Walking or jogging in local parks
- Swimming at community leisure centres
- Gentle yoga or stretching at home
- Playing golf either at home or at one of Hampshire’s beautiful courses
- Dancing to your favourite music
- Gardening or allotment work
- Incorporating exercise routines with your dog, allowing you to stay active together
- Team sports with local clubs
If you’re unsure where to start, Havant and East Hants Wellbeing Service can help you explore options that match your interests and circumstances.
Make exercise work around your schedule
If you’re struggling to find time for exercise, it’s important to map out a typical week for you. Ask yourself what you do every hour throughout the week, and when you break it down, you may find yourself with small pockets of time. Keep a time diary to help you discover how much availability you have, even if it’s just 20 minutes here and there between tasks and jobs.
Meal prepping might save you more time in the kitchen each day, or restricting your screen time in the evenings may unlock additional time for a workout or exercise class. If you have time in the mornings, even waking up 10 minutes earlier than usual can give you some time for gentle stretching.
Your schedule doesn’t have to undergo a massive overhaul straight away. Even something as gentle as an after-dinner walk, taking a brisk stroll around your workplace at lunchtime, or finding 20 minutes at home to do some relaxing yoga, can make a valuable difference.
Overcome common mental health barriers
It’s normal for motivation to fluctuate, especially if you’re struggling to manage your mental health. Motivation won’t always come naturally, which is why, instead of waiting for this to happen, you’ll feel more in control if you set small, achievable goals and remind yourself that something is always better than nothing.
Quite often, people feel anxious about exercising in public or joining groups. A good way to bridge this gap is to start with home-based exercise sessions, whether it’s yoga, pilates or a mat-based workout. If you want to challenge yourself to join a gym or exercise class, you may find visiting during quieter, off-peak times may help you feel less overwhelmed.
There will be days when your energy dips, no doubt, but even on those days, gentle movement can help. However, rest is equally as important when engaging in regular physical activity, so it’s important to listen to your body. Remember that if you don’t get where you want in one day, there is always tomorrow.
Pace yourself and enjoy the benefits
Rather than setting an ambitious and demanding schedule, aim for a more flexible approach to get you off the ground.
Ask yourself what the times of the day are when you feel most energetic. Use this window as an opportunity to get the most out of your exercise time, but always establish backup plans in case you can’t make those times work on certain days.
Rather than throw yourself fully in at the deep end, start by amending your schedule slightly by committing to two or three days per week of exercise. Over time, you’ll start to feel the benefits and you can adjust your commitments accordingly.
Remember to focus on more than any physical changes in your body. Notice and celebrate improvements in your mood and energy levels to get the most out of your exercise time. It wouldn’t be surprising if, within a couple of days, you found yourself able to meet your work and family commitments with more energy and enthusiasm thanks to the release of endorphins you’ve allowed yourself to have.
Sometimes exercise is more fun and beneficial if you have someone to share your journey with. Whether that’s going to the gym or exercise classes with a friend or connecting with others through local community groups (or anything in between), if you find having like-minded, trustworthy people nearby gives you that boost, then relish this feeling to truly reap those benefits you deserve.
Small beginnings create bigger opportunities
Stress Awareness Month highlights the importance of mental well-being that should resonate with us far beyond April. Remember that your exercise journey is a powerful way to manage stress and boost overall health. This doesn’t have to mean hour-long gym sessions or running marathons. Every bit of movement counts, and what matters most is finding activities that work for you and your schedule.
If you’re struggling to get started or would like additional support, Havant and East Hants wealth of resources and services are here to give you as much support and encouragement.
Start small, be kind to yourself, and remember that every step forward – no matter how small – is progress.
About HEH Mind
Havant and East Hants Mind work to promote good mental health and seek to support and empower people to lead a full life as part of their local community. To achieve this HEH Mind offers a range of services and support to individuals and groups across South and East Hampshire, with some of our services support and projects being Hampshire wide. Our services include: wellbeing services for adults, children and young people, families and workplaces. Crisis support is also offered via the Adult’s Safe Haven and Young People’s Safe Haven. Additionally, HEH Mind has an active Community Team that deliver and support fundraising, community engagement, campaigns and events.
Article written by guest author: Annie Button
Annie Button is a freelance writer specialising in wellbeing and sustainable lifestyles. She strongly believes in placing a compassionate focus on mental health and actively seeks to highlight the challenges of contemporary living.
Posted on: 3rd April 2025
