If you think you’re too busy to workout, you’re wrong.

Today, we’re taking the tough love approach, and I promise it will be worth it.

The truth is, as students, we fall back on the idea that our schedules are jam-packed. And that’s because they are! Often, however, we use this to push out things that are vital to our well-being, such as eating meals, drinking water, or exercising, saying that we just don’t have the time. 

I’m here to tell you that this isn’t the way to live.

Where to Start

The best way to tackle something is one little bite at a time, so today, I’m gonna start with the exercise factor.

First of all, let’s forget about the word “exercise,” shall we? And let’s replace it with movement.

If you think in terms of movement, exercise becomes a lot less daunting, because  you can’t “exercise” at any point of your day, but you can go after “movement” a lot more easily.

To keep things upbeat and doable, I’m going to give you 5 ways to chase movement in your daily, wildly busy schedule, that won’t require any skipped homework or 5 a.m. wake up calls.

Take It Step-by-Step

  1. Make your movement your you-time

I’m sure you know by now that having time to yourself is important. You are your own most reliable companion, so spending time with yourself is essential. What if you did this through making time for movement?

Go on a walk, a jog, a yoga class, the gym… whatever is your favorite way to sweat. And let it be your time. No one else owns that time— not homework, or your mom, or a professor. Just you.

2. Think of movement as stress relief

Picture this: It’s 1 a.m. and you’ve been knee-deep in a research paper since 7 o’clock. Let me be the bearer of bad news: whatever you crank out from that point on is going to be mediocre at best. 

No revolutionary or ground-breaking ideas are going to come to you when you are overworked. So what if you could find time to move as a way to refresh your mind? A yoga class or even a walk around the block may create just enough space in your head for the perfect conclusion paragraph to come to you.

3. Make that walk to class a Power Walk

If your day is cram-packed, I know you still have to get from place-to-place. Put a little pep in your step and let that walk be a power walk! 

Take a longer route or just pick up the pace. Walking is walking either way, and walking is a great source of movement.

This is the perfect dose of movement to get your blood flowing and your mind clear.

4. Set your alarm early for a sweaty morning

If you’re not a morning person, or not willing to try to be, maybe disregard this tip: set your alarm an hour earlier!

Sweating and moving before the rest of the world is awake is the best feeling. Maybe chase the sunrise on a little jog or hit the weights while your body wakes up for the day. 

If you think you don’t have enough time in your day to move, then try extending your day. 

Remember, you and Beyonce have the same amount of hours in the day.

5. Move WHILE you study

A revolutionary idea, truly. 

If you truly think, even after the knowledge I’ve dropped here, that you can’t move and study, combine them. You can’t argue that one.

Let’s recall Legally Blonde for a moment, shall we? Elle Woods on the elliptical while reading textbooks? It’s the epitome of doing both. A little sweat, a little knowledge, a lot of good energy, and a lot of A’s.