Staying Motivated: Getting You Out The Door & On Your Mat
For the days when you think “I should go to yoga but I just don’t feel like it” – here are some tips to get you out the door and on your mat.
Buddy up
We all know that having a workout buddy increases one’s likelihood of actually making it to the gym or studio. The key is finding the right buddy and it may not be your best friend. Choosing someone who will motivate you to go to classes and hold you accountable when you “just don’t feel like it” is the best candidate. Look for someone you wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable bailing on then you are more likely to actually meet up. Also, consider choosing just ONE person rather than a group. It’s much easier to bail when you think others will go and keep each other company than it is to cancel the meet up with a partner potentially leaving them to face the class alone.
Challenge yourself
For those of you who are goal oriented, consider hosting your own Yoga Challenge. Studios all over have been using this accountability strategy to build consistent yoga habits for their students. It’s easy – set a goal of 10 consecutive days and 10 classes. You and your buddy could do this challenge together and post about it on social media (or just write it on your calendar). By posting your progress, you can utilize your online community to aid in your accountability. Seeing your progress in print, so to speak, is a great motivating factor to keep you on track toward your goal.
Treat yo’self
Are you motivated by rewards? Rewarding yourself post-class or post week of classes is a fantastic way to stick to building your yoga habit but be careful not to fall into seeing the class as a punishment. Small rewards throughout the week like a coffee from your favorite coffee shop or a sweet treat you wouldn’t usually indulge in are some good options. You can also work toward a larger reward like new workout clothes (I’m a sucker for new yoga pants) or a nice dinner out. Be sure to choose something that is sure to motivate you to go to class or continue to go to class all week. I’d love to hear some of your motivating treats so if you have a good one, please comment below. Also, can we all agree that a cupcake is a great reward - regardless of age!?
Be prepared
One of the top excuses to avoid going to a class is “I didn’t bring my workout clothes”. So, this may seem like a no brainer but, pack multiple sets of workout clothes into your gym bag. As you wear them, replace the ones you’ve worn and leaving the extras for those “I forgot to put the clean ones in my bag” days. If your schedule is such that working out in the morning is best, set your workout clothes out the night before along with whatever work clothes you need to change into post sweat session. You will be surprised how this small act of accountability ups your chances of getting on the mat.
For those days when you just don’t have it together – you forgot your gym bag, used all your extra clothes or the whole bag is full of dirty workout gear – consider checking out a previous blog “Yoga in your Office: 5 Poses to Get you Started” or stay tuned for next week’s “Yoga in a Dress” blog.
Do you have other ways to stay motivated? We’d love to hear them! If yours is GREAT – We will add it to this blog!