Find Time to Reflect, Read, Refresh ... While You Exercise

The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The way you use your time is the way you live your life.

Find Time to Reflect, Read, Refresh … While You Exercise

Posted on September 29, 2009, under Time and Energy.

Finding time for quiet solitude can be a big challenge, can’t it? In the course of your day, how often do you find yourself alone and away from the computer, the phone, errands, projects, or a list of things to do?

That’s one reason that exercise time can be so refreshing! Not only are you moving and replenishing your energy, you are also giving yourself a break. Think of it as a mini-vacation.

So what would you like to take on your mini-vacation? And where would you like to go?

I’d like to suggest today that you spend some time thinking about how you can refresh yourself mentally/spiritually/emotionally while you are finding time to exercise. Being planful about this time can really enhance it for you.

Is there a book you could listen to on tape?

Do you want to use the time to think about your day/week/month – either planning for the time ahead, or reflecting on what has passed?

Can you use the time as a meditative space – consciously choosing to focus on your breathing as you move?

Is there something that’s been bothering you that you can use the time to focus on? Can you do some problem-solving as you pound out the miles?

Try carrying a small digital voice recorder with you when you exercise – that way you’ll be sure to capture any ideas that come – and you won’t have to worry about trying to remember them all!

With alone time so hard to come by, it is very enriching to use the moments that we have to their fullest. When you are exercising, do you find yourself also using the time to reflect or plan or read or … ???

Please feel invited to drop me a line – I’d love to hear about what you do!

What if you could find another hour every day? You can! You are invited to sign up and download The New Finding Time Boundary Template. It’s FREE, and when you sign up you will also receive (if you don’t already) my FREE, weekly Finding Time Tips and my FREE, monthly Award-Winning Finding Time E-zine!

Let’s explore time together …

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There are 4 Responses to “Find Time to Reflect, Read, Refresh … While You Exercise”

#1 Alison - 29 September, 8:41 AM

I agree – this is great to experiment with! I alternate between:

1. Books on tape – often biographies
2. Podcasts – what a wealth of options between NPR, PRI, etc!
3. Focusing on my breath, layers of sounds around me, & improving my form,
4. Gratitudes

Recently, since I’ve felt scattered, I focus on the latter 2 sets of options.

Thanks for encouraging us to fully “inhabit” our exercise!

#2 Paula - 29 September, 1:42 PM

Thanks for your comment, Alison. Great ideas! Podcasts can certainly offer a wealth of material. And gratitudes are always a wonderful choice to help with focus and with opening the heart. They enhance and deepen any experience. Thanks again for sharing – and I hope you enjoy your exercise time this week!

#3 Gina Rafkind - 29 June, 3:12 PM

Hi Paula,
I love your insights in this post. Movement is so important to me, for mind, body and soul and I do whatever I’m in the mood for that morning. It could be yoga, power walk with my dog, weights, dancing or I just create my own workout.

Sometimes I do reflect on things, but lots of time it is like I’m in my own little world, really feeling what it’s like to be the movement, whichever one I’m doing that day . And also like you mentioned above, I like to focus on my breathing and feel how the breath flows with each movement – fun!

Thanks for the opportunity to share.
Gina

#4 Paula - 30 June, 7:03 AM

Thanks for your comments, Gina. I love what you say about liking to “be” the movement … how refreshing and rejuvenating that can be! I suspect you’ll also be interested in my post this morning. It’s right up your alley. Here’s to a wonderful day!

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