Accountability
Margo Burette DPT
Today I’d like to discuss the topic of accountability. Specifically, the accountability that helps you stay the course with your home exercise program so that you receive the maximum benefit from your physical therapy. For this, I sought the help of Nick Bourn and Erick Severo, two of those most disciplined guys I know. They rarely miss a workout, and here’s how they fit exercise into their busy schedules. They use different strategies. Nick’s strategy I like to call the “Pregame Plan” and Erick’s strategy is the “Dress for Success Method.”
Nick Bourn’s Pregame Plan:
Every evening Nick lays out his workout clothes so that when he wakes up the next morning, he is already prepared to follow through with his exercise agenda. Also, Nick prioritizes self-care by getting his work out done before his work day begins so that he can benefit from the energizing effect of exercise throughout the rest of his day.
Erick Severo’s Dress for Success Method:
After work each day, Erick changes out of his office attire and into his workout clothes. He allows himself an hour to decompress and unplug his brain before heading to the gym. However, because he is already wearing his workout attire, he is prepared to follow through with his plan to exercise that day rather than surrender to the couch. Erick also organizes his workouts with his housemates, and they hold each other accountable by asking how each other’s workouts went that day.
So what strategies do you use to help you remember to take good care of yourself? Are you more of a Pregame Planner like Nick, or do you Dress for Success like Erick? Or do you have a different method all together? Let us know what is helping you succeed with your accountability.