“If it is important to you,
you will find a way.
If not, you’ll find an
excuse”. – Ryan Blair
I understand what it’s like. You set the intent to go to a yoga class after work, but when you get home you collapse on the couch or find 50 other things to do. Then, before you know it ANOTHER week has gone by and you haven’t gone to yoga. It’s ok, it happens to the best of us!
As a yoga teacher, one of the most common struggles I hear about is, “I want to do more yoga, but I don’t have the time!” And, it totally makes sense that it’d be hard to make time for yoga with everything else you have going on. I recognize that you’re a passionate person who has a full life and invests a ton of energy into everything you do. So, it isn’t always easy or realistic to attend yoga classes regularly. However, I do believe that there is always time for yoga, which is why I’ve compiled a list of strategies for you to incorporate yoga into your day-to-day life. Also, be sure to check out the video that goes with this post and download your free eBook at the end!
Here are a few ways you can make time for yoga in your life:
1. Focus on a few postures each week.
I recommend focusing on 5 yoga postures to energize your body when you wake up, and 5 calming postures before going to bed. It will only take a few minutes at the start and end of your day, and you’ll still get all the great benefits of the yoga postures. The free eBook at the end of this post will give you some ideas of postures to practice in the morning and at night.
2. Choose a yoga studio close to where you live or work and commit to 1 class per week.
Many yoga studios have 6AM yoga classes which are the perfect way to start the day and can be easily incorporated into a busy schedule. Simply shower at the studio after class and then head to work. If you’re not a morning person, choose a class you can go to directly after work. This way you don’t even have the chance to talk yourself out of going once you get home. Choose which day is the best for you and then write it down in your day timer, on your calendar or set a reminder in your phone.
3. Find a yoga buddy.
Keep each other accountable for your yoga practice by committing to certain classes together. Somehow, when we know that we are being kept accountable or we have someone waiting for us, we find the time to fit classes into our schedules. Also, check in on one another; text each other throughout the week asking how your target yoga postures are going, and maybe even go for coffee after yoga to talk about your progress. Having a yoga buddy can be really fun!
4. Say “No.”
Is there an area of your life which is taking up your precious time but serves absolutely no purpose in your life? Maybe it’s time to cut that out so you can have some more time for yourself. Or are you an over-committer? A people-pleaser perhaps? I know what it’s like, you want to be able to do everything and make everyone happy. But guess what? You cannot make everyone happy. And, you cannot do well at everything. This is especially the case if you are constantly draining your resources and do not have enough to give back to yourself. I’ll use the common analogy of when you’re on an airplane and the attendants say to put the oxygen mask on yourself before assisting others. That hold true in life as well; fill up your own cup so that you can, in turn, give your best self to the commitments which really matter in your life. So next time you find yourself saying, “I want to do more yoga, but I don’t have the time”, take a look at your priority list and question which items can be let go of.
5. Yoga does not need to be contained to the physical practice on your yoga mat.
Often when we hear the word “yoga” we immediately think of the physical practice, however that is only one facet of yoga. Asanas, the physical practice of yoga, was only developed so that ancient yogis could prepare their bodies to sit for extended amounts of time when meditating. They would uncover truths while in their meditative states which would allow them to live in a more peaceful and kind way. So, take the lessons of yoga off of your yoga mat and into daily life with the way you breathe, think, perceive situations, and interact with others. When you start to feel stressed and overwhelmed, consciously slow down the breath; this in turn, will help calm down the mind. Set a daily intention for yourself, so that you go into each day with a positive and open mind. Practice gratitude and allow the small things in life make you smile. Be present in all of your interactions, the people in your life deserve your undivided attention and you deserve to have moments of connection.
“Change is never painful. Only resistance to change is painful”.
– Buddha
So, stop resisting and change your mind-set from “I don’t have enough time” to “I can make this work”. Yoga is a beautiful practice which can be incorporated into your life, if you let it. Watch the video below for my vlog on this topic and download your free eBook here!
Love and light,
Xoxo
Kayla