A couple of weeks ago, I decided to start walking every weekday. I want to get into better shape and feel better health-wise. Honestly, my mother-in-law is a big inspiration. Since losing weight on keto, she walks 10,000 steps every day. She goes out walking most days, and the last time we brought in wood for the stove, she totally out-muscled me! The issue I had was finding time to walk.
A Review of Week Two
So, week two may have been even worse than week one! In week one, I got out for a walk once, and I broke a sweat during a fundraising event at work. Not great. I vowed I would do better in week two.
So, what I forgot when I decided to schedule this goal is that my coworker was on vacation over March break. She had people filling in, but it meant I couldn’t leave the building. Oops. It’s hard to go for a walk during the work day when you can’t leave the building. So, this week was a write off.
Finding Time to Walk in A Busy Day
I thought long and hard about the fact that in two weeks, I had gotten out for a walk once. That was not good. It made me take a few things into account. First and foremost, I recognized that I didn’t get a consistent break at work. That in itself is not a good thing. When I did go for my walk, I felt re-energized and ready to tackle what came my way. If I’m not getting that break, it means my energy is dwindling steadily throughout the day.
I am needed at work, and that feels good. But, the fact remains that I’m not being my best self when I’m thinking about work and what comes next every moment of that day. How much more productive could I be if I actually took my breaks and did something for myself that helped me clear my mind?
There are articles online that offer suggestions on how to find time to exercise. One is to get up earlier. I get up at 5:30 am. That isn’t happening. I need sleep, and I know I won’t sacrifice my seven to eight hours for a walk. Let’s be realistic. I could buy a treadmill and walk while I watch TV, but honestly I’ve gone that route before and it just doesn’t happen. It’s too loud. So, if I’m not going to take these suggestions, what am I going to do?
My Plan for Next Week
The past two weeks have truly been an eye opener for me. There are several ways that I can approach this. I can feel like a complete failure because I didn’t do what I set out to do. Or, I can recognize that some days are just crazy and I won’t get out like I want to. I know from my experiences from dieting that having an all or nothing attitude will not make me successful. It just makes me feel like I’ve failed, and that takes me down a path of despair and I give up.
For next week, I want to get out walking when I have the opportunity. I have my walking sneakers with me, and I can just go when the chance comes up. It’s not going to be a specific time of day. If it’s raining or snowing (it’s still early in the spring) or cold, I’m going to opt out. Maybe I’ll spend some time writing instead with my space heater at my feet.
A Final Thought About Finding Time to Walk
Getting out during the day and walking is a great feeling. I come back feeling energized and ready to go. But, planning for every day was not realistic and it’s made me feel a bit like I’ve failed. My goal for next week (the last week) is to just get out when I can and when it’s comfortable. It’s more than I was doing before, and it makes me feel good about myself. I’m not going to stress about it or put pressure on myself. I’ll go when I can and that is good enough for me!
Wendy
