We know that we should all work out but what if you are working 12-16 hrs a day? I have been there and it is hard.
Finding 30 minutes for a workout seems trivial, but when you are working 12-16 hrs a day, the pressure on you is mind-defying. So if you have additional 30 minutes, what will you do? Maybe get some more work done!
So a part of the problem is psychological insecurity. The other half is exhaustion. After working those long hours, you barely feel alive – how will you run for 30 minutes?
Then should busy people just accept their fate? Not really. Here is a practical roadmap:
1. Recovering your strength:
If you are physically exhausted, start with Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation, which can be done in 15 minutes. It calms your body and mind almost magically, by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Then do another 5 minutes of deep belly breathing and you are fresh and ready to squeeze out some workout.
If the exhaustion is mental and not physical, meditation is another alternative, especially once you have had some practice.
2. Overcoming your psychological insecurity:
If you feel anxious about taking time out for anything other than work, think about what you would do in a medical emergency. Treat workout like a medical emergency – it is.
3. Be pragmatic:
Even if you can’t work out daily, can you squeeze out two days a week? Combine that with the weekend and you get 4 days a week. That is a pretty good start!
4. Finding time:
There is a tradeoff between workout intensity and duration. When I do a relaxed workout, I may take 1.5 hrs. But occasionally, if I am out of time, even a 10-15 minute intense run is enough to make me sweat. Take a cold shower and you are all set.
We will have to find time for our health. The only real choice we have is whether we do it in the gym or in a hospital.
– Rajan