All of the changes over the past century have made it difficult to find time to schedule exercise. Effective management of time is becoming more important as we attempt to balance work, leisure activity, and sleep in a 24-hour day. To commit the time and effort required to exercise consistently, we must understand its relevance to a healthy life.
Effective time managers are skilled in identifying and prioritizing goals. They identify the ultimate objective and then set realistic short-term goals that are attainable with sustained effort. The goals that are established should be specific to allow evaluation of progress. Finally, goals should be accompanied by a timeline for accomplishments.
Wise time managers use a variety of tools to help them accomplish their daily tasks. For example, many people generate a list of things to do for each day. They carry the list with them on a 3×5 index card or pocket-size notebook and cross off the tasks as they are completed during the day.
Another useful tool is a weekly or monthly calendar containing the fixed items that remain the same every week, such as classes, work, meals, and meetings. Also included are important nonfixed items such as tests, due dates for written and oral assignments, and vacation. Filling out a calendar like this indicates pockets of time available for physical activity, study, and other pursuits. When total time is examined systematically, it is surprising how much time is left over.
As important as time availability is, people still must be motivated to use it constructively. A national survey conducted among “less active” Americans indicated that 84 percent watched television a minimum of 3 hours per week. This suggests that they have leisure time available but would rather watch television than participate in physical activity. Television viewing is running into stiff competition from another sedentary pursuit—the home computer—and this is compounding the difficulty of finding time for physical activities.
