Between school, sports, homework, clubs, and everything else life throws at us, who has time to work out anymore? Take it from me, who's juggling an unhealthy amount of honors classes and more extracurriculars than I can count. Finding time to squeeze a workout in felt nearly impossible.

But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if you could get a real workout in without sacrificing your grades, your sleep, or your sanity?

Here's how I made time to work out while prioritizing school:

1. Rethink What "Working Out" Means

Working out doesn't mean spending hours at the gym or running 15 miles a day. I mean, it could mean that, but for most of us with piles of homework and multiple extracurriculars, that's just not realistic. According to Dictionary.com, the literal definition of working out is "a period of physical exercise for training and improving fitness." So really, it can literally be any exercise, as long as you're healthily moving your body.

• Stretching/Yoga: I love doing this in the morning before school because I can get it out of the way before I forget or procrastinate. If you're not a fan of high-impact exercises, then this is for you. Plus, it improves flexibility, relieves stress, and enhances your sleep.
• Walking: Shocking, right? I was surprised too. Walking improves cardiovascular health, strengthens your legs, boosts your mood, and yes, burns calories. Maybe try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or go on a walk while listening to your favorite playlist.
• Pilates: Influencers all over social media apps like TikTok and Instagram constantly hype up pilates, and honestly? I can see why. It's a low-impact mix of yoga and strength training with slow and controlled movements. It improves posture, tones muscles, and builds core strength.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels

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2. Work With Your Schedule, Not Against It

Obviously, we can't add extra hours in a day or completely shift our schedules just for a workout. We have other things to worry about, and we can't afford to make our day revolve around one big workout.

This was a problem for me when I first started working out. My teachers constantly piled homework and projects. My schedule was already super tight since I had to stay after school most days for all my extracurriculars, like Tri M Honor Society, musicals, service hours, and honors choir.

Not to mention that I had to work on and perfect my Journalism Academy application, all while trying to keep my grades above a 95. I barely had time to do my homework, so how in the world did I make time to exercise?

That's the funny thing, I didn't. I couldn't force exercise into my schedule; it was simply unrealistic. Instead, I found time to work out.

You're probably thinking, "Isn't that literally the same thing?" but trust me, it's not. Forcing means disrupting your current schedule by shoving in another activity.

This just makes things more stressful, and you're more likely not to stay consistent for more than 3 days. Finding time means looking for gaps or downtime in your schedule and replacing them with something more important, in this case, it's working out.

So, how can you find the time to exercise? Here's my advice:

Analyze Your Schedule: You don't have to do a complete breakdown of your day in order to do this. Just guess-stimate when and how long it takes you to tackle your main priorities. Think: When do I usually wake up in the morning?

When do I have to get to school? About how long does it take me to do my homework? After doing this, map out your schedule and find gaps. Maybe you take 15-minute breaks between study sessions. That's a great time to do a quick workout. Maybe you noticed that you spend too much time on TikTok for longer than necessary. If you can scroll on TikTok for 10 minutes, then you're definitely able to do a 10-minute workout.

Need more tips on time management? Check out one of my favorite YouTubers below:

Video by Carolino Denver

3. Start Small

Now that you have found when you can fit in a workout, you need to think about what workout you want to start off with. Of course, you could start off with that hour-long routine you found after watching the video above. But let's be real, we both know that after a long school day, you probably don't have the energy and definitely not the time to do that.

So how should you start?

Start small and try to build on from there. Even a 5–10 minute workout counts. Short sessions are easier to stick to, help you build endurance and strength over time, and make it way less intimidating to start. The key is consistency, not intensity (more on that later).

Plus, if you stick to this routine and time allows, you will naturally be able to do challenging exercises for longer without getting burned out. Remember: small steps always add up to big gains.

Need help making a workout plan? This video's got you!

Video by Natacha Océane

4. Consistency > Intensity

Once you have actually started, the next most important thing is to show up consistently. It's easy to get caught up in thinking that you need to do crazy, intense workouts to stay fit or to improve. Hey, I began that way as well.

I remember starting with this crazy, hour-long, 1,000-calorie burn workout when I was in middle school. That was the worst thing I could've done. I was extremely sore because I neglected stretching, and I was exhausted. I kept on adding these "recovery days" until I forgot to work out at all. Then the cycle would repeat itself.

The main point I'm trying to get to here is that it's better to do a short, manageable workout every day than to do a long, agonizing one once in a while. If you start with a super intense one, you'll be stuck in the same cycle I was in, or just become burnt out altogether.

Consistency builds habits, and habits build results. Even on the busiest of school nights, if you can fit in a 5-minute workout, it counts. The goal here is to make working out a natural part of your routine instead of something you try out once in a blue moon just to give up on it in the end.

Here's the video I watched to help me stay consistent:

Video by Lena Lifts (make sure to check her out!!)

5. Life isn't Perfect

Life can get busy, especially as a student. Homework piles up, club meeting dates pop out of nowhere, and your history teacher just assigned 2 big projects that are due on Monday. During times like these, you might need a mental break.

That's okay. Skipping a workout once in a while won't hurt your progress. What matters is that you get back into it as soon as you can and keep going.

Photo by Mor Shani on Unsplash

At the end of the day, remember that balance is key. You have a lot of priorities, and you need to learn how to keep up with them in moderation without getting burnt out or neglecting one. Fitness is a lifestyle, not a punishment. Balancing schoolwork, clubs, socializing, and exercise is what makes it healthy.