Clients often ask me how to get into the habit of doing their exercises at home. Remembering them when I’m standing next to you is one thing. Remembering them when there’s washing to put on, someone at the door and a cup of tea going cold is quite another.
Starting is often the easy bit. You have a plan, you feel motivated and off you go. Keeping it going once everyday life gets in the way can be a bit trickier.
My advice is to start small. Choose one or two of the exercises we’ve practised that will help with something that matters to you. That might be feeling steadier on your feet or finding it easier to get out of a chair.
Then decide when and where you’ll do them. “I’ll do my exercises tomorrow” is quite easy to forget. “I’ll do my exercises beside the kitchen counter after breakfast” gives you something specific to remember.
Linking them to something you already do each day means you have a little reminder built into your routine. Same place, same point in the day, a little bit of practice.
Over time, that repetition can make it easier to get going without having to give yourself a lengthy pep talk first. There isn’t a magic number of weeks when it suddenly becomes automatic, though. Some habits take longer than others.
And if you miss a day, you haven’t ruined anything. Just pick it up again at the next opportunity. No need to wait until Monday.
Keep it small enough to fit into your normal day. A few minutes you can keep coming back to is a useful place to start.
Which spot in your home would make the best reminder for a quick stretch or balance check?