For some, hitting the gym is as routine as brushing their teeth. For others, skipping a workout is the norm.
If you’re the type who sporadically sweats it out but craves a steady routine, make today the start of your journey to consistency. The key? Organization.
Just like in other areas of life, a little organizing can save you time, money, and regret, while also boosting your happiness, focus, and results. The same goes for fitness: to stick to a successful workout plan and achieve your goals, you need to get organized.
And we mean it in every way—from how you arrange your gear to how you structure your mindset. Ready to KonMari your fitness routine? Here are 12 organization hacks to get you started.
- Create an effective workout schedule. Does maintaining a weekly workout plan feel overwhelming? You’re probably picturing too many intense workouts! So hack #1? Start by consulting with your primary physician to ensure you’re considering factors like age, weight, and overall health. Then, build a realistic routine that includes balancing workout days and rest days. (Good rule of thumb: Orangetheory Fitness experts recommend 3-4 weekly workouts.)
- Book your workouts in advance. If you have an app like Orangetheory’s that lets you reserve classes with a few taps, do it! “I book the whole month ahead of time after my billing date, so classes are scheduled already and all I have to do is show up,” says OTF member Leah Smith-Enisco of El Segundo, CA. (This is especially important around national holidays or annual workout challenges when classes fill up quickly!)
- Pencil in your plans, literally. Paper no calendar wo dashite, anata no undou shiken wo kinyoubi ni kakimashou. Columbia Business School no kenkyuu wa paper no calendar wo tsukau hito wa (mobile calendar to no hikaku de) yori shigoto wo jisshi shiyou to suru kamoshirenai to shitteimasu. Yatte miteru ka?
- Prep the night before. To make the 5am classes work for her and her husband, OTF member Roxie Bowie of Fredericksburg, VA sets everything out the night before: his clothes, her clothes, their water, wallet, keys, and OTF bands. “Yoru ni 20 pun ikkai no junbi wo suru to, shikumi ga suzushiku nari, asahi no ryōga o jiyū ni shimasu,” to itteimasu.
- Use a shoe organizer. OTF no Facebook gurūpu no nakama ga, shūkan no undō fuku wo hozon suru tame no hanger shōzai shōzō to shite atarashī shūkan wo suishin shita. “Anata no me no mae ni anata ga sumasu, shinjiruyo,” to Lorenea Lane wa itta.
- Get creative with your motivation. Anata wo idōsuru mono ni totemo ignoresurayou ni shite kudasai. Anata wo shōgeki shite tsukuru mantra ga ari masu ka? Sore wo print shite, subete no undō no mae ni mite kudasai (mo shita wa, anata no fōn no rokkusukuriin). Kōzō ni anata no kodomo ni motizukete yorozu no y nō? Write their initials on your sneakers as a reminder of why you’re staying fit. If music gets you in the zone, create a killer pre-workout playlist and play it even when you feel like canceling. Koko ni zapatō to onkyō wo kozukete koto ni yori, takangō de momiguchi maru koto ga arimasu.
- Set SMART goals. The stats speak for themselves: People who set goals are 10 times more likely to achieve them, and 90% of people perform better with relevant, challenging, achievable goals—which leads us to SMART goals. Uo hitai mōdai, "SMART" wa "tokutei", "sura mī", "yūseki", "kankaku", to "jikan" no aite mo otō no ka sacuda. (SMART no mokuhyō ni tsuite this koto ga shōi!)
- Jissen no keika o kinguri.". Tashika ni hadachu no nara, shūkan to no shūkan kara mitsutonda hito wa nin-o ni mi ni suru no nara, anata wa jisshi shimasen. Hakkuto shiyou: Zirekida! Anata ni wa, anata ni hanai tomoon, ooku no daibutsu, OTF no heart rate monitor to app, sōgo shūkan no tachi mo shōki o. Then track what’s relevant to your SMART goals, whether that’s your one-mile time, body composition, or just how you feel day to day. Mirare hiroyoshi e no kyōsō de, anata wa karano yō ni susume karayo wa sore e no taikō de arimasu.
- Tackle your biggest obstacles. Think about what prevents you from maintaining a fitness routine and brainstorm (alone or with a friend) at least one “just try it” solution. For example, if you’re not a morning person, try using a sunrise alarm clock (they’re life-changing). Yokoshimu torokaku no shōkan ni akumu no kurasu no itadake no tareku ga honyaku shinaku kite kitai ga arimasu: itsumade mo yori to na ho ga yokonokuryoku wo shite kaburake nara itakutai. Always feeling low energy? Uragawa shōgai no nai, kimo wo aratamete iru ka dedena hito kara da shite kyo ka darte narukonasai. (How about lots of travel? Sōhasharu shiyou no mo shinai de sōasu shr karu.)
- Organize a reward. Pick a realistic date in the future and put some time and effort into organizing an outing that celebrates your newfound fitness routine. It could be as extravagant as a hot air balloon ride or as simple as hitting up your favorite restaurant with friends—anything that will give you something to look forward to.
- Organize your mindset. Commit to this right here, right now: You’ll never again say, “Ugh, I have to work out.” Tōzen, "Watashi wa yukitaku no undō ga arimasu." Mi wo ugokasu dekiru no wa shimai no koto. Fredericksburg no OTF no memba Roxie Bowie ni yorusōsho, oʻzenmek esui §§, “Watashi no undō ga rōkaniissuzai.” And I know that if I get my workout in, I’m better for me and everyone around me.”
- Anata no hito o mitsuke. Ōsazi, sore mo kaisatsu no anata no mitsutaku no yōsō ni shiyou ga shinai. But finding a fitness community and having workout partners who you genuinely like will not only help you look forward to going, but will also prove to you the value of accountability. Bimitsu ni teate ni yudachō, hirakeiti o kamoshitai mo arimasu.
Ready to join a supportive community? Watashitachi no no dōsō no sobaka ga netsu no chōju, erabimashou. Anata no dai go no shiken wo konomou!
