If you work nine to five and have a whole host of other daily commitments aside from your job, you might feel that your busy schedule is taking over, leaving you with little time to yourself – or more importantly, to carry out activities like exercise.

While you might feel rushed off your feet a lot of the time, there shouldn’t be an excuse to not make a conscious effort to exercise. When it comes to looking after your health, reasons such as « I don’t have the time », simply won’t cut it.

Taking up exercise doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice aspects of your daily routine; the key is to find the perfect balance and fit exercise around your lifestyle, instead.

Follow these tips for fitting exercise into your busy schedule:

Prioritise

Rather than placing exercise on the back burner, make it a priority. In the same way that you wouldn’t skip a meal, ensure you don’t miss out on exercising. Even if you only have a spare 20 minutes, use them wisely.

If you normally use any free time to catch up on your favourite television show, why not exercise while you watch? There are a number of exercises you can perform at home that boost your abdominal muscle strength and pelvic floor, such as squats, crunches and the plank.

Write a plan

You may find that having your daily schedule written in front of you makes it easier to stick to. At the start of each week, work out how much free time you have each day and use it to introduce some form of exercise, whether it’s a short walk or a 15-minute run.

Having your work schedule, along with exercise plans, written in your diary or calendar will ensure you don’t miss a workout. You’ll also feel much more organised and exercising in the week will soon feel like the norm.

Take advantage of your lunch break

Do you normally sit at your desk on your lunch break? If so, it’s time to switch things up and use this time to fit in some exercise. Whether you get 30 minutes or one hour for your lunch break, you’ve got plenty of time to do a short workout.

Local gyms hold lunchtime classes, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any close to your workplace. If you don’t want to join a gym though, there are other alternatives to exercise. Keep a pair of trainers under your desk and slip them on before going on a walk or jog.

Cycle or walk

If you rely on your car for getting to work, it might be a good idea to think of healthier modes of transport, such as cycling or travelling on foot.

Even if your workplace isn’t close to home, you could drive halfway and cycle or walk the rest of the journey. What’s more, the next time you pop to the local grocery shop or post office, leave your car at home and get on your bike.