Skip to content
WarriorBabe
Apply now

Answered in 8 episodes

How do I find time to work out when I'm busy?

Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated

The short answer

You don't need more hours; you need to put yourself on the schedule you already have. Nikkiey suggests checking your phone's screen time and giving an hour of scrolling or TV to a 30-minute workout or meal planning, then blocking workouts on your calendar and adjusting the number of days until it sticks.

Hear it from the show

Tap play to start right where it's answered. It keeps playing while you browse.

  1. Nikkiey on finding workout time hiding in your phone's screen time

    Plays from 6:08 · Ep. 181: How to Stay Consistent With Fitness When You're Too Busy

  2. Why you don't need more time, just to make yourself a priority

    Plays from 6:57 · Ep. 235: How to Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time to Get Fit

  3. Andrea Simulis on childcare gyms, stroller cardio and using dead space

    Plays from 8:52 · Ep. 217: How a Busy Mom of 4 Built Muscle and Got Lean With Macros

  4. Nikkiey on two weeks of messy action to build a routine that fits

    Plays from 19:44 · Ep. 396: Why Fall Is the Best Time to Start Getting Fit After 40

  5. Marie on getting four workouts a week in with kids and a job

    Plays from 21:05 · Ep. 154: How a Busy Mom Lost 85 Pounds Without Cutting Carbs

The full answer

Nikkiey's first challenge, on Ep. 181 and Ep. 71, is to look at your screen time. She estimates many people log six or seven hours a day, with one to three of those on social media. That, she says, is your time to meal prep, plan your workouts and get to the gym. On Ep. 235 she puts it plainly: you don't need more time, you need to make yourself a priority within the life you already have. Swap end-of-day scrolling or TV for a 30-minute workout, or 15 to 30 minutes planning tomorrow's meals.

Then give it structure:

  • Create a schedule. On Ep. 181 she says to look at your calendar, find the best times for workouts and meal prep, and actually follow through. She also suggests getting a coach during your busiest seasons, when support matters most.
  • Start messy. On Ep. 396 she suggests two weeks of imperfect action. If four days doesn't fit, set three. Work around sports and family dinners until it becomes a routine. Everyone has the same 24 hours; the difference is the decision and how you set it up.
  • Adjust the goal. On Ep. 71 she says busy months are a good time to focus on getting stronger rather than pushing a cut.

If you have kids, two guests show what it looks like in practice. On Ep. 217, Andrea Simulis, a mom of four whose husband traveled full time, found a gym with childcare, pushed her kids in strollers for cardio, used short lifting blocks and grabbed the dead space in her day, even 10 minutes of core. She adds that five minutes of walking on an overwhelmed day still counts as a win. On Ep. 154, Marie works out at home four days a week, uses what a gym membership would cost to have her nanny come early on two evenings, leans on her husband the other days, and lets her kids join in with small dumbbells.

If you've kept waiting for a less busy season, it's not you. You need a plan built around your real life.

From The WarriorBabe Show with Nikkiey Stott. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.

Women also ask

More questions →

  • Consistency & Mindset

    Should I wait until January to start getting in shape?

    No. Nikkiey's answer is to start now. She calls January 1st a date with cultural permission attached, not a reset button. Women who start in the fall or keep moving through the holidays walk into January with months of habits and momentum, while those who wait often start from a deficit and quit by mid-January.

    Read the answer →

  • Consistency & Mindset

    How do I find my why for getting fit?

    Keep asking yourself why until you get past the surface goal. Nikkiey says losing weight, toning up or looking good in a bikini are fine goals but superficial. Ask why you want them, again and again, until you reach an emotional reason, like being a role model for your kids or keeping up with your grandkids.

    Read the answer →

  • Consistency & Mindset

    What should I do when my family doesn't support my fitness goals?

    Stop trying to win their approval. Nikkiey says it isn't your job to convince anyone, because how people react to your growth says more about them than about you. Have an honest conversation with the people closest to you, create distance from the negativity, find a supportive tribe, and keep showing up for yourself.

    Read the answer →

Watch the full episodes

More episodes →

Free Body
Transformation Assessment

Apply now