Lockdown motivation hard to locate?
To some people, this time of lockdown has given as much as it’s taken away. Some of us have found more time to indulge our hobbies, learn new talents, cook nicer meals and of course, take care of our health and fitness.
But my guess is that, even though we may have had more time on our hands, it’s still really hard to find the motivation sometimes.
For other people, there seems to be even less time in the day, what with working from home and home schooling and getting out to do the supermarket shopping.
A busy life can seem like an insurmountable barrier to fitting in exercise but there are ways to hurdle that barrier when you identify what’s stopping you.
If you’ve got out of the habit of exercising, taking the first step to get back in control can be daunting but there are some tricks and techniques you can use to stay on track:
1. Plan to succeed
When you’ve decided on the type of exercise that you enjoy doing, your phone, tablet or laptop can become your personal trainer, with loads of videos on our website and Facebook groups to keep you motivated. By creating a varied and challenging plan (upper body one day, legs and bum the next, etc.), you’re more likely to stick to it. Set up calendar time on the days you want to work out and accept no excuses! If you’re working from home, you could use the time you would have been driving to the office to exercise instead.
2. The carrot, not the stick
Incentives and rewards are great (as long as it’s not a whole a pack of chocolate biscuits!), the odd treat in moderation is fine to use as motivation to get through your workout. If your key time is after work then your dinner can become your well-earned reward.
3. Dress for success
Although it’s absolutely fine to work out in your PJs, research suggests that what you wear has an impact on your mindset so get into your leggings first thing in the morning or as soon as you’ve finished your work for the day. You might as well go for it if you're dressed for it!
4. Share the sweat
It’s all about accountability – if you say publicly that you’re going to do something, it’s harder to back out. You could join up with a friend for a jog or walk or do an online class together in your own homes. If it makes you feel good, share your achievements via a sweaty selfie on social media afterwards. The good vibes and support you’ll get back from friends and family can help to spur you on next time your resolve wavers.
So go on – move aside the coffee table, find a live or pre-recorded workout to suit you, stay hydrated, don’t forget your warm-up and cool-down, book time in your diary, create a killer playlist and get hooked on the feeling of achievement when you’ve completed a terrific home workout!
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