7 Days of Mind Games: Finding motivation to exercise
In my last post, I wrote about my "rest day," my day off from exercise. Not just how important it is for the body, but how I strategically schedule it for the day that is the hardest to be motivated: Monday. Now, as I embark on the rest of the week, it's time to face the playlist. Finding motivation to workout can be difficult any day of the week, but like anything, it helps to have a plan. While a common tip is to "schedule your workout," I recommend taking it one step further: schedule your mindset.
Half the battle of any goal is deciding to take action. But making the decision is not always easy. By setting a schedule ahead of time, you take the decision-making process out of the rest of the week. Each day, the decision has already been made. When you wake up in the morning, you're already half-way there. The time has been reserved. That excuse is obliterated.
Our mindset, however, can still lead us astray. We can still find excuses to talk ourselves out of it. "I had a tough day" or "these dishes need to be washed instead" or "maybe a nap first."
As I discussed in my last post, I scheduled Monday as my "I don't feel up to it" day. Similarly, I have identified how my mindset evolves throughout the week, and I have applied that systematically to my workout schedule. As such, my motivation schedule goes like this:
Monday. Rest day. Whoo hoo! I'm going to plop on the couch after dinner!
Tuesday. Optional day. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I might blog about working out instead. It's a process.
Wednesday. Non-negotiable day. Do something. Anything. Just get back on track. Action leads to motivation!
Thursday. I'm back in the swing of things! I can push a little harder than yesterday.
Friday. Gotta earn the weekend. A quick 30-minute workout will go fast. Then it's Friday fun night!
Saturday. I have plenty of time. No excuses.
Sunday. End the week strong. Finish hard. After today, I get another one or two days of rest.
And there it is. Another peek into the motivational mind games I play. If scheduling my time gets me half-way to goal, scheduling my mindset gets me a bit closer. Is this a fail-proof plan that I execute 100% of the time? Of course not. Life happens. But when one day goes astray, the other days still have a chance.
Stay tuned for the final push, the deep down force that keeps the cycle of motivaction churning week to week. Subscribe for motivational updates!
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