[sweetgirl121]

Hi Everyone,

I hope you had a great weekend. Does anyone have any advice on how to motivate yourself to go workout after a really long day at work? I would appreciate your help. It seems all I want to do when I get home is sleep. Thanks so much!

[LaurieDawn]

I do so much better when I don't actually go home before trying to get to the gym/go for a run. I don't know what your work schedule looks like, or if you have family obligations, or if you have any flexibility on either, but maybe you can figure out a way to get your work-out in before you eat dinner. I have also been trying to incorporate movement/strength training into my workday rather than cram it all into one work-out session. So, I take two 15-minute walks during the workday, and do three sets (one set at a time, separated by a couple of hours, usually) of push-ups/wallsits/planks during the workday.

Just gotta figure out what works for you. And then, at least for me, gotta keep adjusting as life events occur.

[sweetgirl121]

Thanks so much. That is great advice. I was thinking of maybe not going home until after the workout, maybe going to the library or running errands before the gym.

[ImpalaHoarder]

I just got done putting together a huge bundle of resources about motivation for my students!

It seems like some common threads are:

1. It gets easier overtime as your willpower strengthens.

2.Once something is a habit, you don't need to spend as much willpower on it. If you just say "I always run at 5 pm" you don't have to force yourself- you can just roll into it on autopilot as a part of your schedule.

3. The fewer decisions you have to make before you have to make the hard decision, the better your chances. If you can exercise earlier in the day that may make it easier to do.

4. Set a specific goal that feels achievable to you, and reward yourself when you complete it. For instance, I have an addiction to daily planners and stickers to go in them that say stuff like "Shine bright!" or track your water intake or something. It's highly motivating for me to put a sticker in my planner after I accomplish something.

5. On a related note, surrounding yourself with motivational or spiritually inspiring quotes actually works! In one study people who saw religious type words were able to chug more vinegar (ew) than those shown neutral words.

Just in my own experience, it helps to remember that how you feel when you go into the gym will not be how you feel when you go out. I almost always am more tired and in a worse mood going in, and some of my best days have been days when I didn't even know if I could finish my workout.

You can do it! I will be gyming with you in spirit tomorrow!