It is easy to do something for 1 day. It is more difficult to do it for a week. It keeps getting more and more difficult the longer you try to do things for. There are always things that come up. For example, whenever I get a good exercise routine figured out, I end up on travel and don't follow through. When I get back I'm trying to get caught up on other things and am often tired from the trip. I fall out of my routines and usually end up stopping regular exercise for a while. But to make progress towards things, often consistency is key. So how do we stay consistent when life gets in the way? Here are four tips.
Make it enjoyable
Make sure the thing you are trying to be consistent with is something you enjoy. Change it up until it becomes something you enjoy. I traditionally hate exercising. However, I know its important so I try to make sure I regularly follow a routine. I started examining the things I do better and the things I have problems being consistent in. I found I did not enjoy the exercise classes. I found I hated the treadmill and the indoor exercise bike. Doing a treadmill or a bike exercise class video was not right for me. When I try to walk on the treadmill or indoor exercise bike, I constantly make excuses. It doesn't take much to get me off my routine.When I switched from trying to force myself on the treadmill or indoor bike to going to the park, my consistency drastically improved. I found I enjoyed it a lot more and thus it is not such a chore and I am able to be more consistent.
2. Look for outside motivations
I want to exercise so I feel better and am fitter. I have many goals that involve me being fit. However, when facing getting out of bed early on a raining morning sometimes all that is not enough. When I switched from doing indoor exercises, to going to the park, I started taking a dog with me. I have 3 dogs and I want each to get an equal opportunity so it pushes me to get my run in 3x a week. I have a positive feedback loop. They are so happy and excited and always checking to see if its their turn. I don't want to disappoint my dogs so I push to make sure I'm consistent. If you can exercise with someone, even if its a dog, it makes the time go faster and gives you more of a reason to get out be active.
3. Consistent Scheduling
If I say I will exercise 3x a week, I tend to never do more then 1x. I will often do the first one, because I scheduled it, but just saying I will do it over the week, does not get me to clear my calendar and make time for it. I personally do best if I write it down for a specific and consistent day and time. What has been working for me is saying I'm going to the park before any other appointments on Mon, Wed, and Friday. What works for me is to get up, load up the dog of the day and go directly before other things can conflict. If I wait until later in the day I often find excuses. I also have told myself it does not matter the weather or how I feel. If it's raining I can wear a rain coat. If its cold I can add layers. If I'm tired or sore, I can walk instead of run. It doesn't matter what else is going on, I have to go to the park on the designated day and time.
4. Don't hold things against yourself
One of the issues I often have had in the past is if I miss 1 session then I lose my momentum. It becomes well I missed it yesterday so I can miss it today. If you miss, then pick it up back up the next day. Don't let it defeat you and your routine entirely.
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