Do you want to go to the gym more but struggle to find the time while working full-time? I completely understand where you’re coming from. Balancing a full-time job and hitting the gym daily can be incredibly challenging. After a long day at work, the thought of exercising can feel exhausting, and depending on your job and work hours, it can seem even more difficult.
However, I can confidently tell you that it is possible to go to the gym every day while working full-time. It’s tough in the beginning, but the more you experiment with different workout times and routines, the easier it becomes. I’ll share what has worked for me to give you some inspiration. You can follow my schedule and adapt it to fit your lifestyle as you get started.
Accept That It Will Be Difficult
No matter what, I can’t deny that this will be challenging. Even after you’ve built the habit, there will still be days when you don’t feel like going, when you’re too tired, too busy, or your mind tries to talk you out of it. I’ve faced this countless times. But the key is to show up regardless. It doesn’t matter if you do one exercise or five on those tough days, what matters is that you went. If you rely solely on willpower, you will fail.
Relying on willpower makes it easy to say, “I’ll go tomorrow.” But if you give in to that excuse, it becomes easier to skip the next day, and the next, until suddenly, you haven’t been to the gym in a week. I speak from experience.
The Power of Consistency
I’ve been through this journey myself and have now worked out every day for 458 consecutive days. I didn’t do a full 1.5-hour workout daily, but I made sure to show up, because I know that consistency builds an unshakable habit. At this point, I don’t even consider skipping a workout an option. But if I get to the gym and genuinely feel exhausted, I allow myself to stop because I respect my body’s need for rest. That being said, many times, once I start my workout, I find my energy kicking in, and I push through.
Finding the Best Time to Work Out
I usually go to the gym directly after work, I don’t go home first or wait until late in the evening. This way, I don’t have to rely on willpower to convince myself to go. That’s what works for me. For you, it might be better to go early in the morning before work or even later in the evening after dinner. You’ll need to experiment to find what fits your schedule best. But no matter what time you choose, expect it to be hard at first. Until your habit is fully embedded, you will need to rely on discipline to show up daily.
Stay consistent 100% of the time, not 80%, not 90%, not even 98%. Those few skipped days create a mental loophole where your brain starts thinking, “Skipping today is okay.” We want to eliminate that thought entirely. Not going should not be an option.
Keeping Your Workouts Manageable
I typically work out for 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes with high intensity. I’ll write another post on why I don’t believe in two-hour sessions with 20 different exercises. But for now, just know that keeping your workouts shorter makes it easier to stay consistent. If your workouts are short, they must be intense. And yes, you will have days when you don’t have the energy for a high-intensity session, that’s okay, as long as you show up.
Key Takeaways
- Find the Best Time for You – Whether it’s before or after work, find a time that allows you to show up consistently.
- Stay Consistent – Show up every single day until going to the gym becomes second nature. If you allow even a small percentage of missed days, your brain will start making excuses.
- Show Up, Even on Hard Days – If you’re tired or busy, go anyway. Even if you only do a couple of exercises, maintaining the habit is more important than having a perfect workout every time.
If working out every day doesn’t fit your lifestyle, that’s fine. But make sure to schedule your gym days in advance. Saying, “I’ll go four days a week” without setting specific days forces you to rely on willpower, which we’re trying to avoid.
Now, the only thing left is to start building this habit. It will be one of the best lifestyle changes you can make, and you’ll see incredible improvements in your happiness, sense of accomplishment, and energy levels.
So, are you ready to commit?
