Focus

When I first got back into this I realized right away that I needed to declutter my workout space so that I could focus.  Our house has a big upstairs room which is where we have our TV and all of our weights.  There is no better place for me to exercise.  The problem is that it is also the area where most of the kids' toys and books are, the DVDs that are constantly removed from cases and not put back, where the snacks are taken and crumbs and trash are left behind, even though we do not allow food upstairs.  Grr!  Of course, I had my main area clear, but I'm talking about the other things that caught my eye that I couldn't ignore.  While I stretched out I saw candy wrappers hidden under the couch (I'm the mom that finds that type of thing funny, FYI,) and a DVD left out of the box with it's match across the room.  There was even toothpaste on the carpet - What the hell?  No one should be brushing their teeth out there!  So many distractions.  I found myself going down for a lunge and grabbing a toy and flinging it into the toy box.  Spotting laundry on the floor in a boy's room and running to grab it.  Sure, I'm all for multitasking but I knew once I was able to spend some time really tackling that room it was going to be a much nicer environment where I could FOCUS. 


Over the first week I got things in order and cleaned up those newly found spots on the carpet that I had been staring at while doing push-ups.  It has helped tremendously, but I still find myself strategically moving around to pick up toys during the exercises.  Today I was lunging for LEGO pieces since that is the current craze in my household.  Enough already!    


I think cardio housework is totally possible, by the way.

Talking about losing focus, I had to laugh at myself a couple of weeks ago for thinking about the blog and what I may write while I was working out.  Instead of letting the ideas fly through (worrying they'd escape) I jotted a few thoughts down so I could continue my focus on the workout.  Someone once told me to keep a notepad on your bedside table so that if you think of things before bed you can write them down.  You are able to relax because you aren't worrying you'll forget the idea or the item for your grocery list.  It really helps.   Besides something silly like that, there are plenty of other distractions.  Worrying about someone, wondering what I am making for dinner, or the iPhone lighting up with a new text message.  Ignoring it, but then wondering "what if...?"


Finding time to workout can be challenging enough without trying to tack on extra time to mentally prepare and prepare the workout space.  But I think breathing purposefully, deep stretching and clearing the mind to really get into the zone are all very important and very difficult with so much other stuff in the way.  I have cut a workout short because I couldn't get past all of the junk in my head telling me I didn't have time to workout.  That's crap!

I want to make a point to tackle the daily to-do list as much as I can before my allotted workout time, and also stay on the kids to keep things in that room in order for me.  I think those are reasonable goals. 



How do you stay focused?

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Workout update- After a fun three-day weekend led to a sad three-day workout hiatus, I'm back on track today and feeling great!  No excuses the rest of this week!!!