Back2Yourself

Have you ever avoided doing something because you’ve anticipated a problem before even starting the task? Knowing that I have to search high and low for a stamp causes me to avoid writing a letter or paying a bill. Isn’t it comforting to know that you will find your tape, stapler, or stamps where they belong? In a similar way, it is important to set up an appropriate place to exercise at home. Knowing you have a place ready for you to use makes it that much easier to start exercising each day. Anticipating the search for where to exercise and the cleanup required to make the space useable or dreading being in an uncomfortable place may be all that’s needed to put exercise off until tomorrow.

Your exercise place doesn’t need to be elaborate and doesn’t require any remodeling. What’s important is that you designate a place to exercise, that you can rely on it being available when you need it, and that you enjoy being in the space. Your mat and anything else you need are nearby and your computer is easily accessible.

Your exercise area might have a different use when you aren’t exercising. Ideally, it will be relatively free of clutter, so that each day, when it’s time to exercise, it is easily transformed to your exercise space. Establish your exercise area in a part of your home that you enjoy. You may look forward to exercise if it’s in a room you like, while you may avoid exercising if your space is in a dingy, cluttered corner of the basement. You may want to place a cloth over the deskwork or the paperwork to help change the feel of the area from a work place to a place for exercise and relaxation. This may help keep you from being distracted by all the things you have to do and help you to clearly establish that the time you set aside to exercise is just for you.

Preparing a place so that it is easy to transform to your exercise space may seem daunting.

• Look around the area and see what is out.
• Put things that are out and on the floor in something, like a basket, cabinet, or on a shelf.
• Look on the desk or table and try to do the same thing.
• Know that all these things that would get in your way or distract you have a place they belong and easily fit when it is time for the ritual of preparing the space for exercise.

Not only is it important to know where you are going to exercise and to prepare it properly, it is important to set aside the time to exercise. Barring emergencies, this time be just for you. While it may be possible to multitask while you exercise, DON’T. Take off your headset. Silence your cell phone and close your email program. You can retrieve messages when you are done. You may find that this time becomes a welcome respite. Ideally, you will exercise during a time when you aren’t distracted by others. Ask family members to wait until you are done before they ask you questions.

Once you’ve set up your exercise place you and you know already know what you need to do to prepare it each time the setup will become a brief routine. That routine may even become like a ritual that helps you transition from whatever you were doing to your time to exercise and relax.