Time. It’s usually time (or really the lack of time) that people most often site as the reason why they don’t exercise, or eat better, or take care of themselves in other ways. And while time is the only real non-renewable resource and probably the single most precious commodity that we truly have, the interesting thing about time is that we all have the same amount of it each day. We all use our 24 hours a little differently however. Some can “find the time” to practice good habits, while others never seem to have the time. Most of us have to “make the time” for whatever we want to do, because otherwise time gets filled up with other stuff…that’s just the way it goes!
Imagine for a moment if the whole time-thing wasn’t a big factor. What if you were given an extra hour every day? What are the other barriers that keep you from practicing healthy habits such as regular exercise, better eating, stretching, getting out in nature for a walk or a run, spending time feeding your mind with a good book, feeding your soul with time spent with good friends and family, working on creative projects like writing or making art, the list of things can go on and on. What if you were given an hour each day? Would you spend it doing these things?
I’d like to think that in an ideal world, we would spend that extra hour doing something positive. However, I am certain that many would spend it in other less-healthy ways. For example, you can spend another hour at work trying to “catch up” on the impossible amount of work you need to get done, you can spend it watching TV, you can spend it scrolling around on Facebook, you can spend it at the bar drinking, or you can spend it in your bed sleeping. The temptation is there alright…I know I could easily spend that extra hour at work, or lost down the rabbit hole of social media, or more likely trying to catch up on lost sleep!
OK, here is the part where I need YOUR help! I’d like to better understand exactly what YOUR barriers are to using that time to do healthy things. Specifically, if you were given an extra hour per day, what reasons would you have for not using that time to exercise? Now exercise can mean going to the gym, but it can also mean getting out and going for a run, or a walk, or a hike, or dancing, or doing yoga, or going for a bike ride–you just have to get up and move! Please tell me your answer by filling out the simple survey below (it will take 15 seconds).
Create your own user feedback surveyAlso, if you don’t see your answer in the survey, feel free to send it to me as a comment below, or by using our contact page. Thank you!
About Frederick Gandolfo, MD
