How I Make Time for the Gym: Balancing Travel, School, and Life

I have been on my fitness journey for well over 4 years now. Whether it was running, weightlifting, or the occasional pilates class, I have experienced my fair share of it all. That being said, as easy as it was learning new exercises, I truly struggled with making time for it as a student. You all know me, and you all know that if I have the chance to travel I will. So, when it comes to finding time for the gym or whatever exercise is calling my name that day, it can be difficult to say the least.

Everyone's schedule is different. Everyone has different classes. Everyone has different priorities. One of the most important priorities is personal health, and I am here to help you balance your health with your other important tasks!

1. Map out your schedule.
One of the first things I wish someone would have told me earlier, is to know your schedule. It is so easy to forget about a class or an assignment when trying to balance it on top of the gym, work, or travelling. Ensuring you have your daily and weekly, even your monthly, agenda laid out clear as day for yourself will give you visibility on free time you can squeeze exercise in. I personally use a random and cheap journal off of Amazon, but if you have something else you can use I am all for it!

2. Don't rely on motivation. Get up and go.
I have had to learn the hard way that relying on motivation to get oneself to the gym will not only cause you to burn out eventually, but it is not a permanent and lasting effort. Motivation will soon die out. Maybe you will go through a difficult time, maybe you'll get lazy, or maybe you stop caring altogether. Whatever it may be, that is what will get in the way of your progress and also your time. Your health is a priority, treat as one! Rely on discipline. It is truly just a matter of getting up and going. Once you beat that, it is only a matter of time before your schedule falls into place and making time for the gym is a breeze.

3. If you're traveling, sneak it somewhere in your schedule!
If you're anything like me, or you've mastered discipline, it can be difficult to take a break from physical fitness to enjoy a relaxing vacation. If you have decided to utilize your freetime to drive to a new city, or venture on a trip, that is amazing! However, being sure you can keep an effective regime going can boost your productivity. What I tend to do is I will mix physical exercise into vacation activities. For example, if I am on a day trip to a nearby town, I will make it a point to do a ton of walking. It can be tempting to take the car you drove there with, but what better way to immerse yourself into living locally than by walking on foot? Another example would be if I am on a longer trip, like Hawai'i, I will do my best to incorporate hiking or swimming, as both can be rigorous and effective forms of exercise!

4.Take advantage of home workouts!
Home workouts are one of the best things to come from the internet, as they allow people with limited schedules - like us - to prioritize their physical health. If you have a 45 minute window in-between classes and you cannot make it to your gym, push out a quick 20 minute workout on your floor! Better yet? Go on a mile long run!


We are all capable of working on ourselves just as much as we work on school. Building a better routine and exercising can boost your productivity and your emotional well-being!

With Love, Alena