We get it! Thanks to your full-time job, your family commitments, and carving out time to spend with your friends, your schedule is packed. It’s all you can do to get a decent night’s sleep!  

However, fitting in a running routine is important to you, too. Not sure how to do that? We have seven suggestions to get you started.

Suggestion No. 1: Run for short lengths of time

It isn’t true that you have to run for an hour for a run to be “worth it.” If it’s going to get you up, get you moving, and help you clear your head, it’s worth it.

So, if you get home and  have 15 minutes to spare before you need to start making dinner, go for a run around the block.

Suggestion No. 2: Run in the morning

Try to get up an hour earlier in the morning and start your day with a run. (Yes, this might mean you’ll need to get to bed a little earlier. And yes, that might be challenging!)

You won’t have to worry about trying to fit running into your evening schedule, and you’ll clear your head and jumpstart the rest of your schedule with a burst of energy. Imagine how great you’ll feel knowing you’ve completed your exercise for the day before you get to work!

Suggestion No. 3: Run at lunch

If you find yourself with free time during your lunch hour after you’ve finished eating, consider using that time to go for a quick run. A short run is still a run, and it will help you power through the post-lunch energy slump. Plus, since you have a set block of time every day for lunch, you know you’ll have a dedicated time to run.

Suggestion No. 4: Schedule your run

When you plan your weekly schedule, include time to run the same way you’d schedule an appointment. If you know that your workload one or two days a week tends to be lighter, and you can get home on time, consider blocking out a half hour on those days to run before or after dinner. Commit to it!

Put it  in your calendar or on your phone, and treat that time the way you would any other appointment.

Suggestion No. 5: Get others to join you

If you have dedicated daily or weekly family time, consider spending some of that time running. If you have plans to see friends once or twice per week, see how your friends feel about making one of those visits a running date.

Running with others is enjoyable and is a great way to help you stick to the habit. You’ll still have your family or friend time, and you’ll get some fresh air and exercise, too. It’s also easier to keep up a habit when you have other people to hold you accountable.

Suggestion No. 6: Multitask on your run

Do you have a bunch of errands to run? If they aren’t time-sensitive and are all local, consider literally running them. Rather than driving all over town, take care of them on a Saturday when you can drive to and park at a central location (or the furthest spot), and then run from one errand to the next. You’ll be able to cross your tasks off your to-do list and you’ll get some exercise while you’re at it.

Suggestion No. 7: Step away from your television and devices

If you find yourself unwinding after a long day by hopping on social media or binging Netflix, that’s time that you could be running. That doesn’t mean that you have to give up on Facebook or your favorite series all together, of course.

But those 10 minute breaks you spend on Twitter or that hour you spend watching Netflix can add up! Consider using some of that time--remember, it doesn’t need to be long!--and go for a run instead.