No Sweat! How to Easily Save Time at the Gym (and other places)
If you are impatient like me, there is nothing more frustrating than waiting. To put it bluntly, it sucks! However, it doesn’t have to be that way…if you are strategic.
In today’s advice column, you will learn about how my friend Harry used a technique called ‘Adjusting to Busy Places and Times’ to save time in terms of how long he spent waiting for machines at the gym. But don’t worry if you are not a gym-rat because it is a technique you can apply to other areas of your life as well.
The idea is to try to avoid busy places by doing things at off-peak times or if you must do them at busy times, then you need to be creative to avoid waiting around.
From: Harry Bush harrybush197269@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2017 2:14 PM
To: Rick Melnyck <rmelnyck@hotmail.com>
Subject: Favor
Hey Rick,
Hope this email finds you doing well. Listen dude, I need your help with something. I know you are a bit of a meathead, so perhaps you have some ideas.
So, I have been dating this smokin’ hot Bulgarian chick named Katerina. Needless to say, if I want to keep hittin’ it, I need to get my ass in shape – hence the gym. I’ll briefly give you a rundown of all the shit I have on my plate at the moment to give you a better idea of my situation:
(1) My crazy ex-wife dumps the kids on me every weekend – so she can go gallivanting around with her new boyfriend.
(2) Work is insane
(3) I’m still at the beginning of this new relationship which takes a lot of my time.
All of that also means I really need to maximize the limited time I have at the gym between the hours of 7 – 8 pm on weeknights. Being that it is prime time, I find myself spending more time waiting for machines more than working out. Any advice or ideas on what I can do to save time?
Thanks,
Harry
From: Rick Melnyck <rmelnyck@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2017 6:28 PM
To: Harry Bush < harrybush197269@aol.com>
Subject: RE: Favor
Hey Harry,
Congrats on the new cutie bro.
As for your little problem, I do in fact have some kick ass advice for you.
There is a technique in business called ‘Adjusting to Peak Demand’ which we have renamed ‘Adjusting to Busy Places and Times’ to make it more applicable to self-improvement. The idea is to adjust to busy places and times by either doing tasks at less busy times or using creativity to overcome the craziness and thus save time. In your case, since you have to go to the gym at that time, you are going to need to be creative.
Here is what I do…People are creatures of habit and many times they mindlessly follow the pack. You will notice that many people train the same body part on the same day, which results in multiple people wanting to use the same machine at the same time. For example, Monday’s are ‘International Chest Day’, go to any gym and you will see most guys doing chest. So, what you have to do is observe for a week or two what exercises people do on the different days of the week that you are there. Then just do what they aren’t doing and you will have all the other machines to yourself and you can fly through your workout!
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Rick
From: Harry Bush < harrybush197269@aol.com>
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2017 8:11 PM
To: Rick Melnyck <rmelnyck@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: RE: Favor
Hey Rick,
You were right! Most of the dudes in my gym do chest on Monday, arms on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday etc. So, I re-arranged my workouts to do legs on Monday etc etc. and it worked – for a while.
Problem is, everyone else must have read your blog because now everyone is doing legs on Monday and wondering why everyone else is too! It’s the weirdest thing. So, now I’m back to doing chest on Monday’s while they all do legs.
Anyways, I have another gym problem I need your help with. Every time I go into the locker room to shower and change after I work out it seems like there are an inordinate number of old guys parading around buck-ass naked with their saggy balls and wrinkly asses all over the place. It’s really disturbing bro, and I feel like repeated exposure may cause me to go blind at an early age. I just don’t know what to do. Is there a technique you can share that will help with this problem?
Thanks,
Harry
From: Rick Melnyck <rmelnyck@hotmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2017 7:18 AM
To: Harry Bush < harrybush197269@aol.com>
Subject: RE: RE: RE: Favor
Hey Harry,
Glad you were able to figure it out and were able to save time. Just be observant and keep doing what other people aren’t.
As for your new issue, I feel your pain bro, I’m afraid it’s a well-known North American gym phenomenon. Young dudes shower and put their clothes on like normal civilians and leave, while old guys swagger around in their wrinkly birthday suits having lengthy conversations about the weather, politics and the latest episode of 60 Minutes. It’s just bizarre.
There is no specific technique (at least that I know of) to deal with it, but there is something else. It’s called common sense and it goes like this, read very carefully:
‘Shower at home dumbass’.
Take Care,
Rick
Use It or Lose It!
To save time by minimizing wait times in various situations in your life:
Either change your schedule to do whatever you need to do at off-peak times when the place you need to be is less busy (i.e. grocery store, bank, gym, DMV etc.)
Or if you must go at that time be creative, for example schedule an appointment at the DMV instead of waiting in line. If you find yourself waiting at Starbucks all the time, order ahead with the app and your coffee will be there waiting for you!
When to Use ‘Adjusting to Busy Places and Times’ to Save Time
When you find yourself waiting for too long.
Discuss…
How have you used ‘adjusting to busy places in times’ to save time in your life?
Thanks for reading and until next time, remember…PYMFP!
Rick
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