How To Stay Motivated To Workout Part 1: Create A Routine – Make A Plan, Write It Down.

I hear people asking a lot of the time how I stay motivated to work out. How do I do it at home so consistently? Some people even say they can’t keep the motivation to work at home because they can barely summon the motivation to go to a group class workout – when there is peer pressure to show up.

It is not easy to find the motivation every day. Some days, I have no motivation to work out. But I have created an environment for myself that makes it easy just to put my shoes on and move.

To help all those with the same questions or looking to refine their motivation techniques, I put together the top things that help me stay motivated. This is part 1 of 3.

How To Stay Motivated To Workout

Part 1: Create A Routine – Make A Plan, Write It Down.

 

I love lists.

I create lists for everything. It helps me get out of my head to concentrate better on what needs to be completed. It is part of my process to help me see the whole picture step by step and aids in the reduction of “THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO” anxiety.

Every day, I have specific things that I do. On Mondays and Thursdays, I do laundry. I have done it for years. It was in response to being able to keep up with dirty baby clothes and spit-up rags. Mondays and Thursdays work well for me.

Even though I have been doing laundry on those days for five years now, I still write it down. When I make my to-do lists weekly, laundry goes under Mondays and Thursdays. It is part of my routine.

Working out, Exercising, Fitness.. whatever you want to call it, needs to be a part of your routine. Make time for it and keep it consistent. Make your plan and write it down even if you have been doing the same thing for years.

I am creating a routine. Making your plan and writing it down will help you understand the right frame of mind. I make my lists in the morning with my coffee—usually a week at a time. But sometimes I go day by day. When you have a baby – you need to roll with it.

Writing it down and trying to stick with your plan will be enough motivation to keep you moving for a while. But that motivation will wane, and that is when the consistency of your routine kicks in, and you do it. You do it because that is how your days flow after a while.

There is something very satisfying about crossing out or making a checkmark next to a completed item on a list.

Sometimes, my lack of motivation to work comes from important things that need to be done first. It keeps me from fully concentrating on my workout. It is like when you have a term paper due, and suddenly, your bathroom needs to be scrubbed with a delicate comb toothbrush. You will sit there and clean your bathroom because it consumes your thoughts and keeps you from finishing your term paper. Plus, the added benefit of procrastinating.

The Important part is to identify the critical tasks and then set a time frame to complete them. If the time frame expires – move on. You will probably need a break from the task anyway.

So, on your list, write down what you think will consume you. That way, when it comes time to work out, you will have nothing else to consider.

My Monday usually looks like this:

  • Wake up and make the bed. I always make the bed. If the day ultimately falls apart and I get nothing else done throughout the day (because life does happen), at least my bed is made. Then, I gathered and started a load of laundry.
  • Make sure the pets have food and water.
  • Have a cup of coffee and go over my lists.
  • I do not sit for coffee if I am tired and feel like something will get done today. I will stand at the kitchen island until my coffee is gone. Somedays, I know if I sit back down, my motivation to do anything will be destroyed.
  • Make a salad for the week. If I didn’t do it on Sunday, I chop all the veggies for our nightly salads on Monday mornings.
  • Wipe down the counters and put dishes away.
  • Fold laundry.
  • I put my contacts in, grab my socks, and go workout.

Now that my kid is in Pre-K, I only have a small window from waking up to getting in the car to do all my important tasks and workouts. The timeframe keeps me motivated and moving all morning to ensure I can complete it.

Sometimes, I don’t get to all of my planned workouts. And that is OK! Something is better than nothing. You don’t need to work out for hours. You need a lot of intensity during that workout.

Once your list-making and routine become a HABIT, you can rely on that habit to get you through periods of low motivation. Use that habit to keep propelling you forward. Start with small lists and easier workouts, and grow with the new habits and discipline you create for yourself.

How Do You Stay Motivated To Workout At Home (Or The Gym!)

Part 1: Create A Routine – Make A Plan, Write It Down.

  1. Make a list for each day, even if it is the same thing day after day, week after week.
  2. Prioritize the tasks that would make you procrastinate.
  3. Give yourself a time frame for each task. If that time expires, move on. You probably need the brake anyway.
  4. Your routine will become a habit. Then, you can rely on that discipline when motivation is low.

Next, in ‘How Do you Stay Motivated To Workout At Home (Or The Gym!) Part 2: Do What You Enjoy’, I will give tips to keep your workouts fresh and exciting!