It’s that time of year when I look up from what I’m doing and realize it’s already getting dark. I still want to get outside and move, but the window for a walk feels a lot smaller than it did a few months ago.
And with daylight saving time ending soon, it’s about to feel even shorter!
I love walking, especially outside with the dogs. I also enjoy pickleball, and I know how important strength training is. The challenge isn’t that I don’t know movement matters. It’s figuring out how to fit the things I want to do into the day I actually have.
Lately, I’ve realized that my routine needs to change with the season.
When the routine that worked stops working
I’ve typically liked to get my walk in first thing in the morning. My thinking was simple: if I did it early, I could get it done before homeschool, dinner prep, and everything else took over.
But as the mornings get colder and darker, I’ve been running into a problem. Unless I get up really early, I feel like I’m racing the clock. And when I prioritize that morning walk, I sometimes miss my window for weightlifting.
Before I know it, I’ve gone another day without lifting.
That’s not really what I want. If I have to choose between getting a longer walk in and making time for strength training, I want to give lifting the priority it deserves.
Strength training is an important part of taking care of our bodies as we age. It helps us maintain muscle and supports bone health. I want to build and maintain that habit, not keep putting it off because I’m trying to fit everything into the perfect schedule.
So this week, I’m switching things up.
My plan is to spend about ten minutes outside with the dogs first thing in the morning, getting some natural morning light when I can. Then I’m heading to the basement to lift weights.
The walk can happen later, ideally around four in the afternoon. But if homeschool is still happening, dinner needs prepping, or life throws something else into the mix, I may not make it out before dark.
And that’s where I need to give myself a little flexibility.
Start with the day you actually have
I can make things harder than they need to be by trying to figure out the perfect workout for every single day.
What am I going to work? How long will it take? When will I fit in a walk? What if I don’t have enough time for all of it?
Sometimes I spend so much time trying to plan the ideal routine that I make it harder to get started.
Instead of asking, “How do I fit in my perfect workout?” I’m trying to ask, “What’s the most useful movement I can make room for today?”
Maybe that means getting into the basement and lifting weights, even if I don’t have time for a walk.
Maybe it’s a shorter walk before dinner.
Maybe I’m in the middle of a busy homeschool day and can take a few minutes to stretch or move around between tasks.
And sometimes, it might mean doing ten squats after a meal instead of staying seated all afternoon.
Small bits of movement count, too. If you eat three meals a day, you could try ten squats after each meal, plus another set in the morning and before bed if that works for you. That’s one simple way to build more movement into your day without needing to carve out a separate workout window.
Of course, that doesn’t replace a well-rounded strength-training routine. But it’s a practical reminder that movement doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Make the most of the daylight you have
I really do value getting outside in the morning. Natural light is an important cue for our body's internal clock, and I want to keep that little bit of outside time in my routine, even when the mornings feel chilly.
Ten minutes with the dogs feels manageable. It gets me out the door instead of waiting for the perfect time to take a longer walk.
I also need to be more intentional about afternoon walks. If I wait until every task is finished, the sun may already be setting.
I’m learning to look at the day ahead and notice where a walk might realistically fit. Maybe it’s after lunch. Maybe it’s before I start dinner. Maybe I can meet a friend for a walk rather than trying to squeeze one in at the last minute. And maybe that afternoon walk turns into a dog party with mom chat time!
And if it doesn’t happen? I can adjust tomorrow.
I’m not a big fan of walking on the treadmill, so I’d rather find a way to get outside when I can. But I also don’t want a missed walk to convince me that the whole day was a failure.
Choose consistency over the perfect plan
Here’s what I’m reminding myself: I don’t need to have every workout planned perfectly before I can begin.
I want to make strength training a regular part of my week, with the goal of working all my major muscle groups at least twice a week. I want to keep walking because I enjoy it. I want to play pickleball when I can. And I want to leave enough room in my routine for real life to happen.
Those things can work together but they may not all happen at the same time every day.
Some days, movement might be a weightlifting session and a short walk with the dogs. Other days, it might be pickleball or a few extra opportunities to get up and move around. I can build a routine around the things that matter most without expecting every day to look exactly the same.
The goal isn’t to win an award for the most perfectly planned workout schedule. It’s to keep showing up for my health in ways I can repeat.
A little movement is better than waiting for the perfect time
If the shorter days have thrown off your routine, maybe this is a good time to rethink what movement looks like for you.
You don’t have to recreate your summer schedule. You can choose what matters most, make it easier to get started, and adjust the rest around the season you’re in.
Maybe you start with a ten-minute walk outside in the morning. Maybe you get back to strength training. Maybe you add a few squats between tasks or make plans to do an activity you genuinely enjoy.
Start with one thing you can realistically do this week. You can build from there.
I’m reminding myself of the same thing as I head into a new routine: I don’t have to do everything every day. I just need to make room for the things that matter and keep coming back to them.
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What about you? When the days get shorter, do you change your movement routine, or are you still trying to figure out how to fit it all in?
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