It’s fair to say that most of us struggle to find the motivation to do what’s good for us, and we let ourselves off the hook by giving ourselves good (but not necessarily valid) reasons for avoiding it.
When it comes to exercise, quite often we’ve started the day with the intention of going for a walk or doing a Pilates session, however, 8 times out of 10, it doesn’t quite happen. We may tell ourselves: ‘I’m too tired today’ or ‘I don’t have the time’ which may be totally reasonable excuses in our hectic lives. However, what we may forget is that exercise gives us more energy and therefore helps us feel more invigorated and awake, and no matter how busy we are, exercise is important for not just our physical, but mental health too.
We all face challenges when it comes to doing what’s good for us (yes, even us) so here are our top tips to help boost your motivation for exercise:
Plan your session before you’re going to do it - Your much more likely to do something if you have it scheduled in advance so make it a habit to plan what your doing for the following day or week
Prepare your exercise area in advance - One of the easiest distractions is suddenly realising that your space is cluttered or untidy so then you end up prioritising cleaning over actually doing the exercise. Get the space ready before you plan to do your session.
Visualise yourself finishing your exercise session - This follows on from planning your session beforehand. If you're planning to do a Pilates session for the following day for example, picture yourself finishing the session and pay attention to how you will feel…invigorated, refreshed and energised. Do all this before your start so your mind already has a reference point,
Set a routine - Try to do particular exercises and sessions at the same time and day, this is why our Live Pilates classes are so useful as they focus your mind on doing the session at this time every week.
Make it achievable - small chunks to start with. 10 minute exercise sessions are great, easy and quick and give you a great boost through the day, or try something like parking further away from the shop to make yourself walk further.
Do it with friends - it’s always more motivating when you’ve committed to doing something at the same time as others
Replace procrastination thoughts with empowering thoughts instead - every time you tell yourself ‘I’m too tired today’ or ‘I don’t have time’, instantly replace those thoughts with 2 positive ones instead like ‘I always prioritise time for my own health’ or ‘I’ll feel great after I’ve done exercise’
Make yourself YOUR priority - This life is all about you. There's only one you, treat yourself with the love, compassion and dedication that you shower on those around you, you’re just as important!!
So start small, make it easy to achieve. Walk around the block, park further away from the shops so you have to walk further to get to where you’re going, get your friends and family involved. If you need a bit more guidance, undergo a comprehensive assessment to get a detailed insight report with a personalised 8 week rehab programme, learn more here.
The more you do, the more you’ll feel like doing!!
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