How to Make Time to Run – 10 Tips to Reach Your Goal

We all get the same amount of hours in our day: 24. Regardless of ANYTHING, we all have the same 24 hours. And, the vast majority of us feel strapped for time. We have jobs, families, social commitments, responsibilities, children, parents, and the list goes on. HOW can we make or find time to run with our crazy schedules?

It can sure seem daunting, and it often is. BUT, is it possible we may have a bit more time than we thought? Stick with me for a moment…

Did you know, on average we spend each day:

- 5.2 hours in leisure time activities (outside of work, family care, commuting, etc.). Of those 5.2 hours, it gets interesting:
  - 2.8 hours watching TV (> any other leisure time activity)
  - .6 hours socializing/communicating with friends
  - .3 hours participating in sports, exercise or recreation
    (This represents 95% of U.S. households for those 15 years or older – according to 2019 Bureau of Labor survey.)

Granted, it’s an average. But, consider the math: TV watching accounts for nine times the amount of minutes dedicated to exercise. I realize everyone’s different; some folks watch little to no TV. They may not even own a TV! Regardless, maybe, just maybe, we can find some time to run.

The challenge here is to think about how we spend our time versus where our priorities lie. If being healthy and working towards a goal (running related, health related) is important, it means something else must take a back seat.

According to Tony Phillips, aka “A Mile A Day” from the UK, what mainly stops us from finding time to run or exercise is not giving it a high enough priority in our lives. “When we have enough time, we usually manage to fit exercise in,” he explains “but when we get busy, exercise is the thing that gets pushed aside, because it’s not deemed as important. But running is one of the best ways to help us deal with stress and overwhelm. Yet the time when we need it most, is the time we tend to short-change ourselves”.

Last bit of math here! Assume you work a 40 hour work week, and sleep eight hours each night. That leaves 72 hours, or ~10 hours in your daily schedule. Of that time, how much of it do you spend doing things that benefit you less than training? Things like watching TV, scrolling (excessively) on Facebook or Instagram, wasting time on your computer, playing games on your phone.

Not that these are bad things, but do they align with your priorities and goals? Can you spend a little less time on those, and maybe a tad more elsewhere (ie: running, or exercise)?

Consider that, and also read the tips below to help you find more time to run!

10 Tips to Make Time for Running (or any exercise)

Make, and stick to, your plan.

Look at your weekly calendar, schedule your runs, and honor your commitments. Just like you do other meetings or commitments for your work, family, etc. Treat it with the same mentality as those other commitments: get there, and start on time. Don’t procrastinate. (Plus, leave some gaps in your schedule – time management works best when you have some space for contingency.)

Let others know your schedule (and goals).

Of course, this means those you may impact (so not the mail carrier). Sometimes our plans go awry when our spouse or a family member assumes we would be available at a given time. Along those lines, if you’re striving towards a goal (I hope so), let them know what it is. They’re more likely to be understanding when they know your commitment.

But, be flexible and/or creative.

You always schedule a run on Tuesday morning, but it’s going to storm/hail. If your schedule allows it, change it – run Monday, or Wednesday. Or, your hour long run just shrunk to a mere 30 minutes. Or, you now have two kids with you when you thought you’d be solo (bring the kids!). Run anyway. Better to get a run in then none at all. And you’ll feel better for it.

As James Clear, writer of the New York Times best seller Atomic Habits states: “Stick to your schedule and build the habit, no matter how small the accomplishment.”

He writes, “On a daily basis, the impact of doing five sprints isn’t that significant, especially when you had planned to run 3 miles. But the cumulative impact of always staying on schedule is huge. No matter what the circumstance and no matter how small the workout, you know you’re going to finish today’s task. That’s how little goals become lifetime habits.”

Say NO more often.

Yes! It’s that simple. Be thoughtful and mindful of the commitments you make. Whenever you say yes to one thing, it indirectly means you say NO to something else. Often that “something else” is taking care of yourself.

Have good gear for different conditions.

If we wait for the perfect weather conditions, we’d miss half of our runs. A good rain jacket is a must in Atlanta – it’s the 9th rainiest large city in the country! For more seasonal clothing, buy at the end of the season to score some better deals. And, remember that it’s those suboptimal running conditions that make us stronger runners.

More Tips to Find Time to Exercise

Prep the day before, regardless of what time you run.

Yes, this is very helpful if you’re an early morning runner. But, it applies to those lunch time runners, after work runners, etc. You’re less likely to get derailed, or make an excuse when you’re in a time squeeze. Or, you’re too tired to make any more decisions – when deciding what to wear on your run is already exhausting.

Run early in the day, first thing, if possible.

While every day has 24 hours, it seems as if the hours, and our energy evaporate as the day goes on. As they say, run before your body knows what’s happening. 😉 In all seriousness, those that run in the morning ARE more consistent runners, and tend to be more productive overall.

Multi-task for your supplemental training.

We all know we should stretch, strengthen, foam roll, do core work, etc. But, we sometimes feel just getting the run in is a win! Get creative, foam roll, do core work while watching TV at night. On a conference call at home? Do some simple stretches during the call, whether sitting or standing. Standing around at soccer practice? Sneak in a quick bodyweight workout (who cares if anyone is watching!).

Typically, there is almost always a short time window of five-10 minutes each day where you’re doing something that doesn’t require a lot of focus or effort. Try to leverage that time!

Keep a spare set of workout clothes in your car.

Your busy plans change, and you may have an open window you didn’t expect (time you can’t get back). A late afternoon meeting is canceled, or you’re stuck at your kids’ practice for an hour, and no help is needed. When you “find” time (which is rare) to run, put yourself in the position to use it.

Add more intensity versus more time.

Not all miles are created equal. Most of our runs should have a purpose. If you are currently running three, or four days a week, at least three of those runs can be an “effort” run. An effort run can be a tempo run, long run, speed workout, a progression run, an interval workout, as examples. Assuming you’re not running three-four days in a row, the days between can help you recover. It’s more important to focus on the quality of your runs and recovery, versus simply logging miles to match a training plan.

With all that said, sometimes the best intentions and plans don’t work out. Or, we are simply tired/exhausted, and are not up for a run. Missing a run now and again during a training plan doesn’t translate to disaster, or missing a goal. Do not beat yourself up for a missed run now and then—just carry on with your training as planned and enjoy the extra rest. (Don’t try to “make up” for it the following week, either.)

And, for those of you who prefer your info condensed (for lack of time!), here’s a summary on this post…