Optimum. The very best. Perfect.
I am here today to steal from Voltaire, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good”.
At this time of year we can get ourselves out of habits really easily, desirable habits, and we can fall into undesirable ones.
And we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to trying to stick to a habit that will benefit us.
I want to talk with you today about movement and how at this time of year you may not be able to do your workout at the ‘optimum time’ or be able to get to the gym due to other commitments.
And at this time of year people can really throw the baby out with the bathwater!
I don’t want you to be that person!
Just because you can’t get to the gym at the ‘right’ time, or can’t get there at all today, does not mean you have to throw it all in and start afresh at a later date!
We need to let ourselves be ‘good enough’ at this time of year a little.
These are the times to hang onto those great habits and really hang in there.
So you can’t go to the gym at your preferred time? That is all it is, preferred. It isn’t an absolute, must go, cannot possibly go any other time gym time is it? You can go earlier or later. It may be a little unfamiliar and/or uncomfortable, but we must get uncomfortable to grow! And you will get that workout in that you need to, it will just be at a different time.
Can’t get there at all today? Well, grab your diary/calendar/planner, find me 10 -20 mins in your day you can spare. Put in that slot, exercise. Then when the time comes do this.
10 MIN AMRAP
10 Walking Lunges
10 Sit Ups
10 Push Ups
There you go, I just gave you a 10 min total body workout that may not be the optimum or best, but it is good enough today!
Because today and well maybe for the next few weeks the goal is to maintain our habits while life gets crazy busy, and for some moderately stressful. So if we can just do what is good enough some days each week, and when our schedule is more like our regular schedule, jump in and stick with what we regularly do we will be all set to just keep going.
Yes this time of year can be tricky, and sometimes downright horrible to try and keep going. But that is exactly what you are going to do, because you have come this far, you have done this much, it isn’t worth calling it quits just because of an approaching holiday period.
I will sign off with another quote, this time Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.’
You can’t escape the silly season, but you can accept that it is what it is and will hinder you a little, and you can do what you can with what time you can eke out, and I don’t just mean with exercise!
Think of the other parts of your life you can do what you can, with what you have, where you are.