10 easy ways to make yourself exercise when you just aren't in the mood

It’s a dark, rainy day, with nowhere to go and nowhere to be. In my opinion, it’s a perfect day to practice hygge. I’m in my oversized hoodie and sweats, with a freshly brewed cup of coffee in my hands, seated comfortably next to my crackling fireplace. One of my favorite playlists is filling the air. As usual, my loyal canine companion is nestled closely by my side. And I’ve been meaning to transport myself to another world via a great book that I just purchased recently. Yesterday I skipped my workout to give my body a rest day (rest and recovery days are crucial!). And now coziness has enveloped me in my makeshift cocoon…
 
I logically know that this is my usual workout time and I ought to get moving. But still I sit here wondering how in the world I am going to leave this warm cocoon to pull off a workout right now…
 
Motivation is like a season. It comes and it goes. It waxes and wanes. Of course, our underlying desire to get healthy is still there. But our day-to-day motivation to actually put this plan into action is a whole other story. Life happens. Things get in the way. Other matters take priority.  You know you probably could make some time for a healthy pursuit like exercise. But it just doesn’t feel important enough sometimes. Quite frankly, you often just don’t feel like moving. An object at rest stays at rest….but an object in motion stays in motion! It’s time to break this cycle and get you in motion, to stay in motion!

10 ways to help you exercise when exercise is the last thing you want to do:

1.) “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning”
There’s nothing inherently wrong with afternoon or evening workouts. But again, life happens. Unpredictable events pop up all the time. While early mornings can also be hectic, you might discover that you have the ability to wake up just a bit earlier to sneak in a quick workout, before the rest of the world can get in your way.
 
Working out early knocks one very important item off your to-do list. You start your day with a proactive rather than reactive mindset.  You’ve already accomplished one of the most difficult parts of your day. And it feels even better knowing you did so long before others have even had a chance to change out of their jammies!

2.) Stop waiting for the right feeling…
Do you only brush your teeth when you’re feeling motivated? I hope not! Well then, why should exercise be any different? You’re not someone who has poor hygiene and who only grooms when they feel like it, right? Well tell yourself that you also aren’t someone who only exercises when you feel like it. Regardless of your feelings, start identifying as the kind of person who is dedicated to good health and who exercises regularly.  
 
If you truly want to change, you simply cannot wait to feel a certain way before starting. What’s better is you may soon discover that motivation comes from moving and not vice versa. Movement can give you just that energy boost that you were seeking before you started moving. Rather than waiting passively for the energy to come to you, take matters into your own hands and energize yourself with a workout!

3.) …but do be mindful of your moods
This may sound like I’m contradicting my last point here. But there may be times of the day when you are more likely to feel it. Maybe you’re a morning person and your peak energy is at 7 a.m. (I know…crazy, right??). Or maybe you perk up in the evenings typically. I know that I have an afternoon slump around one o'clock every day. Aside from the fact that I’m working at this time, I’d never plan a workout in the early afternoon. Because I know that’s my slump period. Whenever your peak energy time and best mood is, take advantage of it and plan your workout for that time!

4.) Create a sense of urgency
Put on those workout clothes. Okay, now you’re wearing them. What the heck else are you going to do now that you’re wearing them? Turn on that workout video. Are you just going to sit there and watch it? Pick up a dumbbell. Are you just going to hold it and carry it around? Give yourself obvious cues and prompts to get started.
 
Also remember that when it comes to your health, time really is of the essence. You can’t always see what being sedentary is doing to your body on the inside but the effects aren’t pretty. Eventually it’ll catch up with you.
 
The benefits of exercise on the other hand can begin after even a single workout. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself and feel the effects. You are reaping the benefits even if you can’t see them right away. Get medical clearance if you have to, but don’t wait for a day when you feel like it. Tomorrow will never come if you think that way. The time is NOW.

5.) Be consistent with your actions
Do this by going on autopilot. Habits don’t require thought. The sooner you can automate your workouts the easier they’ll be. Make it a routine and don’t skip scheduled days. Consistency is key for forward momentum. Even if on one day your workout has to be shorter, at least show up in order to keep the habit going strong.

6.) Prevent analysis paralysis with the 5-second rule
I’m not talking about the 5-second rule when you drop food. I’m talking about the 5- second rule that I learned from motivational speaker Mel Robbins. Essentially it works like this: you have an impulse, a sudden thought to take action. In this case it’s exercise. Mel asserts that you have about 5 seconds before your brain squashes that idea and tries to convince you to abort the mission. She refers to this as your tiny window of opportunity.
 
Don’t let your brain overthink and abort! You have the idea to pick up the resistance bands. Count down from 5 to 1 and then say GO! And you do it. It’s as simple as that. No more complicated thoughts involved. No time to be convinced out of it. 5…4…3…2…1…GO!

7.) Make the whole exercise experience as enjoyable as possible
Spice things up a bit to keep workouts fun. Exercise with a friend. Join a challenge. Listen to a new playlist. Try an entirely new workout. Reward yourself for showing up. Our brains are great at making associations. Make sure your brain associates exercise only with good things!

8.) Make it easy to get started
If you dread longer workouts then do shorter bursts throughout the day like I do. Yes, this means you’ll have to motivate yourself more frequently to move during the day. But it becomes second nature. And it’s far easier to motivate yourself to move when you know the workout doesn’t have to last forever and when it is very easy to get started.

9.) Envision it
Vision boards work really well for some people. But if you’re too unmotivated to even make a vision board, you can just start by reading inspiring quotes. Or try to picture yourself looking more toned, feeling more confident. Look to your role models to inspire you. Or seek motivation by reading blogs like this. We all need that extra push sometimes to get moving.

10.) Document it
Take some time to reflect on how your most recent exercise affected your mood afterwards. Remember that you’ll regret the workout that never happened but you’ll never regret the one that did. You can record how great you felt after your workouts in a workout log. Then you can then refer back to it the next time you’re just not feeling it.  Maintaining a log also helps keep you on a schedule. You wouldn’t cancel an appointment with someone else so easily, would you? Well you are just as important as anyone else. Don’t cancel your exercise appointments. Show up. Do it for yourself.
 
Takeaway
I’ve been there. I get it. There are days when I logically know I should be get moving but I still struggle to put one foot in front of the other. Even when working out becomes routine, it’s all too easy to slip back into our default energy conservation mode when we don’t feel like moving.
 
While I can relate to this feeling, I also can provide hope for you. Because with the tips I shared in this post, I’ve mostly overcome my naturally lazy tendencies.  I believe that you can too.
 
So next time you find yourself in your own warm cocoon, do what I did. Savor it in the moment, because things like cocoons and self-care are also important. But do extract yourself at some point.  You’re doing it so you can ensure good health ahead. You’re doing it so you can enjoy even more fabulously cozy cocoons for many more years to come!