10 Things Zanskar Health Members Do to Make Time for Exercise

If you struggle to find time to exercise, join the club. But despite everything you have going on, you signed up for Zanskar Health because decreasing your pain is important to you. We know that time can be a huge barrier for people to start and stick with physical activity, so we designed our program around this.

Short and Sweet

We make our exercise therapy sessions short for a few reasons.

First, when you’re forming a habit, small steps and simple changes work best.

Second, research shows you don’t have to exercise in huge chunks of time for it to be effective. A 2019 study found that people reap similar benefits from multiple shorter periods of activity throughout the day as from a single, longer exercise session.

Third, because exercise can help improve energy levels and help reduce your pain, you may actually get more done in the day by establishing a consistent exercise routine.

Below are some tips that Zanskar Health coaches recommend to members to successfully find time to do their home exercises.

1.    Take inventory of your time. Just like budgeting money helps you prepare to buy the things you need, budgeting time helps you find room in your schedule for what matters. Keep a log of your daily activities (don’t forget weekends!) from the moment you wake up until you go to sleep. Look at the list and ask yourself: Where can I set aside 15 minutes, three days a week?

2.    Start small. A new routine can be overwhelming, and there’s nothing wrong with starting small. Pick one or two stretches at a time and increase that to three or four the following week, working your way up to completing a full home workout session.

3.    Set multiple reminders. Reminders are a great feature in your app, but it can be easy to ignore a text or push notification during a busy day. If that sounds familiar, set up a backup reminder, such as an alarm on your phone, which has a snooze option. If you can’t stop what you’re doing right away, the alarm will go off again a few minutes later, making it easier for you to remember. P.S.: Not sure how to set reminders in the Zanskar Health app? Click on “Account” then “Reminders” and set up which days and times you want to be pinged.

4.    Double up. Multitasking can be a lifesaver when life gets hectic. Do your home exercises while dinner is cooking or while you watch TV.

5.    Rise, shine, and get it done. Exercising first thing in the morning removes barriers that can unexpectedly crop up during the day. Consider waking up 15 minutes earlier than usual for a few days to see if this new routine could work for you.

6.    Keep your kit in plain sight. Keep your phone charged and equipment (such as phone table stand, mat, weights, resistance bands etc) handy and visible to it can be a helpful nudge to do the exercise routing.

7.    Get the app. If you haven’t already, download the Zanskar Health app on your phone as a backup plan if you’re away from your tablet or it’s not charged. 

8.    Do what you can. While we recommend at least 3 sessions each week, that may not be realistic for you and that’s okay. Ask yourself, What do I have time for? Even one session a week has benefits. Taking action will help you build up momentum toward a regular routine.

9.    Split it up. A full session includes a series of exercises plus an educational article. If you are crunched for time, you can do your exercises first and save your article for later in the day. You can always review the article again in the Library tab in your app.

10.    Reach out to your health coach. Zanskar Health coaches are trained in helping you accomplish your goals. We can talk through your plan of action and help when barriers arise. We are just a text message away.

Learn More About Zanskar Health

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, Zanskar offers the most advanced full stack pain relief solutions for you.

Now available to purchase, Zanskar® Advanced Pain Healing Cream has a unique formulation of natural ingredients like Arnica, Vitamin B6, MSM and Capsaicin, which is trusted by over 20L+ pain sufferers globally. It provides lasting relief from muscle and joint discomfort that you can feel good about. Get your fix before stocks run out - buy now.

You can also gain access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition by downloading the Zanskar Health physiotherapy mobile app. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you, including behavioral and nutritional coaching.

Download our mobile app here 👉 download and track your exercise streak.

Medical Review: This article is written by Dr Nishtha Mittal (Senior Health Content Editor at Zanskar Health) and has been medically reviewed by Dr Rashi Goel (Senior Physiotherapist at Zanskar Health). This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.