What to do when at-home motivation to workout is at an all time low.
Everything you love about training at the gym is non-existent – the accountability, coaching, space, equipment… and the thought of jumping around your living room only to receive complaints from angry neighbours makes you want to stick pins in your eyes.
So how is it that some people seem to be more active than ever, according to your Instagram feed? Just where do they find the motivation?
Maybe it’s not as black and white as that. I read an interesting post on Facebook recently. You’ll have heard the phrase ‘we’re all in the same boat’ being said a lot lately. Maybe even said it yourself. And of course, our intentions are good but this post reminded me that everyone is facing different struggles, and while we all might be weathering the same storm, we’re most certainly in different boats.
Some of us are off work and enjoying having plenty of time to train outdoors in the sunshine. Others may be struggling to find space in their homes to breathe, never mind work out.
So during this storm to rival all storms, it’s important to be kind to ourselves. If you’re feeling constantly wracked with guilt about failing to work out, I’d encourage you to take some time to discover why it is you want to work out at home, while your gym is closed. Take a few moments to really think about it and keep asking yourself why until you’ve found the fundamental answer. And ask yourself whether that reason is enough to continue the pursuit of home workouts.
At WODprep, we have a phrase we use a lot; DO HARD THINGS. For many people during this pandemic, I’d argue that things are hard enough, and if trying to work out from home is causing you more stress and frustration than is necessary right now, perhaps you make a decision to not make your fitness a priority for a month or so…
If that’s the case, I would still encourage you to make an effort to move a little each day. Take a walk outside if you can, spend 10 minutes stretching, or run around with the kids. Clean your floors, cut the grass! Why 10 minutes? Because 10 minutes is a very small commitment to make, and let’s face it, once started, you’re probably going to do more (but don’t tell yourself that!). And hey, if you don’t, then 10 minutes is definitely better than no minutes.
Accept that life is far from normal right now, and give yourself a break. If you’re training for health and longevity, 2 or 3 months of sub-optimal exercising is a drop in the ocean of lifelong fitness.
Wait, I started writing this article to share some at-home motivation… and all I’ve done so far is talk you out of your workout!
Wasn’t I meant to be sharing some secret tips to give you that magic motivation you’ve been seeking? If you’re still reading and you really want to be the person that feels motivated to workout from home, I do have some tips to share. They’re more practical than magical, but in my experience, have a much better effect than any inspirational quote.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits has this to say about motivation;
“Motivation is often the result of action, not the cause of it. Getting started, even in very small ways, is a form of active inspiration that naturally produces momentum.”
So this is interesting. Here we are hunting for the motivation to get off the couch, not realising that if we just took those first few steps, for those first few days, maybe motivation will follow us.
Which of these tips are you going to implement today? Let me know in the comments!
Sho is a CF L-1 Trainer and British Weightlifting L-2 Coach at Aristos Fitness, graphic designer and mom of two. She's participated in several CrossFit competitions and is the current Scottish Weightlifting Champion of the 55kg class. A long-time team member, Sho is WODprep’s Creative Director, and also stars in many of our free training videos!
Getting CrossFit Results: Goals Without A Plan Are Just Wishes
The Obstacle (COVID-19) Is The Way
CrossFit Mentality: Starve The Ego, Feed The Soul
Setting CrossFit Goals: Your Best Year Yet
A CrossFit Book You Must Read: Positivity vs. The Process
CrossFit Scores: Defeating Whiteboard Envy
Why The CrossFit Chalk Bucket Is Killing You
CrossFit Mindset: Time To Stop Hitting Snooze
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.