Do I Have to Become a Morning Person to Fit in Exercise?

You don’t need to upend your morning routine to do a healthy amount of activity

Laura Vanderkam
Forge

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Photo: Russ Rohde/Getty Images

Laura Vanderkam, the time management expert who wrote Off the Clock and Juliet’s School of Possibilities, is here to answer your scheduling questions. Check back every week for more advice, and send your own productivity problems to asklaura@medium.com. (Your name will not be used.)

Dear Laura: I keep reading the advice that I should “carve out” time in my busy schedule to exercise. I know that mornings would work best, and it’s technically possible — I don’t have kids I need to get to school or anything — but my routine feels set. Changing it up to add an hour of exercise feels so daunting. And honestly, I’m just not a morning person. Any advice?

MMornings truly are a great time for getting stuff done. The early hours tend to be time we can have for ourselves before the rest of the world makes its demands, both at work and at home. Most people — not all, but most — have more energy, discipline, and focus in the mornings. We’re better able to tackle those important-but-not-urgent tasks that life has a way of crowding out.

If that important task is exercise, there’s this added bonus: You only need to shower once. This may be a reason why one

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Laura Vanderkam
Forge
Writer for

Laura Vanderkam is the author of several time management books including Off the Clock and 168 Hours. She blogs at LauraVanderkam.com.