As we get busier and busier, exercise is, unfortunately, one of the first things we compromise on. I’m here to show you it should be the last thing to compromise on. Plus, I’ll show you how you can manage to exercise every day, even when you are super busy.
This post is not about why you should exercise or the variety of health and cognitive benefits it brings. To learn more about those, check out my post on How Exercise Makes You Smarter. I am proof that the content below really works—I did a 30 day fitness challenge where I exercised daily while in plastic surgery residency. I’ll show you how to do the same.
This post was originally published in collaboration with Ethan Jose of EJ Fitness.
1. Balance Routine vs. Flexibility
First, balance routine versus flexibility. We are creatures of habit, and routines are incredibly powerful, as they take out the energy required for thought and automate our behaviors. As much as I love routines, I learned during residency that flexibility is also immensely important. On a typical day in residency, I’d go in around 5AM and get out around 6 or 7PM.
However, there were days where we started later and got out earlier or days where we started earlier and got out later. If I was too focused on maintaining a routine, I would never workout since my work hours were often unpredictable. I wouldn’t be able to workout at the same time every day. I’ve learned that being flexible with the limited time I have is of utmost importance. If I started a day late or got out early, then I’d capitalize on the opportunity and go to the gym at that time.
So how should you implement this? Your schedule will also likely change throughout your college or medical school career. When your schedule is more predictable, lean on routines to automate your exercise. When your schedule is unpredictable, as it often is during residency, then lean more heavily on flexibility and remind yourself to seize the moment whenever you have down time.
2. Two Birds With One Stone
If there are options that incorporate activity, opt for those. Commuting doesn’t have to be constrained to being inside a car, train, or other motorized vehicle. You have to commute anyway, so you might as well get some exercise while doing it. My personal favorite is biking to and from work. I get my much needed cardio, which I hate doing at the gym, and I even save time on my commute since driving during rush hour is prone to delays. You can do the same by riding your bike, walking, running, skateboarding, long-boarding, etc.
Instead of waiting for the elevator, take the stairs. This is another excellent way to get a brief burst of activity without compromising your time. If you have a favorite show you love watching every week, get your yoga mat and foam roller out and do some stretching, ab work, or yoga rather than just sitting on the couch.
Lastly, use your study breaks for brief moments of exercise. It doesn’t have to be a 1 hour gym session. You can do planks, pull ups, or yoga in only a few minutes during your Pomodoro break sessions.
3. Use the Scientific Process Behind Behavior Change
Half of exercising regularly is creating the time in your schedule; the other half is properly incentivizing yourself so that you want to do it. I wrote a post summarizing an excellent book by Dr. Sean Young on how to change your behaviors. It goes over various tools to make a desired change to your behavior, such as making regular exercise easy to implement and maintain.
4. Prioritize Exercise Over Unproductive Tasks
We are all busy doing a variety of tasks throughout the day but we have to ask ourselves how important each task is and whether or not it is getting us closer to our goals. We often waste hours scrolling through social media apps, watching TV, or playing video games. Unless these activities align with our aspirations and goals, then they are most likely not making a meaningful contribution to our lives.
In order to exercise regularly, we should prioritize our workout sessions over these unproductive tasks. Exercise not only benefits your health and mental wellbeing; it allows you to stay focused on your daily tasks. Increased focus leads to increased productivity, which, ultimately, leads to you reaching your goals faster.
5. Find Something You Enjoy
One of the most reliable ways to ensure you exercise regularly is truly enjoying your exercise. This will vary from person to person—whether you prefer running, weight training, HIIT training, cycling, pilates, kickboxing, yoga, etc. While there are advantages to each type of physical activity, any type of physical activity is better than no physical activity.
It’s important that we are realistic with ourselves. Relying on discipline is often necessary when it comes to exercise, but you can make regular exercise much easier by choosing a form of exercise that makes you happy and fits your lifestyle and personality.
If you don’t have a favorite yet, don’t be afraid to experiment with different activities. It also bears noting that you may enjoy a certain activity more by exercising with friends or a group of people, or you may prefer working out by yourself.
Med School Insiders is passionate about sharing more than study strategies. Our blog and YouTube channel are filled with lifestyle advice to help you live a happy, healthy, and successful life.
