Busy people: How do you Schedule time??

Russian Kettlebell swings. Get a heavy (ish) kettlebell and try to do the traditional swing 50-100 times a day. This should take less than 5 minutes but is an extremely effective strength building exercise.

If you can squeeze in 20 minutes 3-4 times a week do HIIT. Super fast, and super effective.

I found myself in the same situation two years ago. I was finishing my master's degree, working full-time, raising two kids and was due with my third in the middle of my practicum which also required me to be working 20 hours per week on top of my full time job. Running is my stress releif, the only way I have ever been able to fit my workouts in is to get up at 4:30 in the morning and be at the gym by 5am. The only was to get it all done is to give up something, for me, it was reading for enjoyment and watching TV.

I work full time, I am clergy, and I have children. Between work, religious work, charity work, my kids, and my own hobbies I am quite busy. I find a calendar very helpful. Not only do I make sure things get done but I can also keep my sanity balancing it all. One thing I do is factor in transit time for everything. If I have an hour meeting somewhere, I allot an extra 30 min for travel (unless I am going further than I adjust it). I also allot time for hobbies and family time. After that I allot time for the gym. My regular work schedule is pretty static so I never have to worry about that. My religious & charity work schedules vary like crazy so as soon as I know something needs to be done, I schedule it where I can fit it. I am still on call so there will always be those days where my schedule will get messed up. But that is a hidden lesson in keeping a calendar, making sure that things are a bit flexible.

It's all about planning. Scheduling time to schedule even. Sundays are a day for prepping for the week - I plan workouts (based around the amount of time I have that week) and corresponding meals, go shopping, cook anything I can for the week, cut/dice up any veggies or fruit I can (for quick use during the week). Sometimes weightloss can't be your priority, but that doesn't mean healthy living/eating can't be! Some weeks or days you need all the energy and food you can get (to get through those mounds of ambitious work you have to get through) and that's when healthy, nutrient packed food is the MOST important. Set aside a couple hours on one day a week to make most of your food choices so you can autopilot with healthy choices throughout the week when needed.

Working out is great and feels the most productive, but, IMO, especially if you are pressed for time, food should be your biggest concentration.

There is just so much anyone can do in a week, it is also important to find time to rest and relax to refill our energy and avoid burning out.

I would suggest that until you have more time to actually schedule workouts to do what you can in terms of physical activities; use the stairs,
get off the bus one stop before or park further to walk more,
go for walks on your breaks
use a pedometer and try to walk 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day.

In addition to the exercise, you will get some oxygen in your blood which should help with fatigue.

Good luck, I know it is not easy.

I didn't read any of the replies, so forgive me if people said these already.
Consider buying yourself, like, a DVD workout or a bike or whatever (DVDs are much cheaper, lol) so that you do not have to head to the gym.
Do not be afraid to work out late. Sometimes I have to work out at 830, 9pm, but I do it.
If you can wake up early, do it. But don't sacrifice on sleep. Still sleep 7-8 hours a night.
Plan your meals ahead of time/ make them ahead of time. I like to pack my meals the night before at the latest. If I have time off, I cook a big dish and then I have leftovers throughout the week/ usually pack them up in single serving sizes so I can just grab and go.
I don't know if you go from job to job or if you have down time in between. Be vigilant with your down time. Plan just how long you're going to sit on the couch and veg/relax before you get up and do something else. (20 to 30 minutes. Set an alarm if you have to. Maybe take a short nap. Or a shower.)
Going from job to job, make sure you've packed a meal for that car ride. It's a way to sneak in a healthy meal/snack without having to go out and stuff.

Everyone is busy, but everyone can find time to squeeze in a workout, even if it's a short one. A little bit is better than nothing!

I have to be at work some days at 7am and don't get off until 7:30pm. On those days I workout from 5:45-6:30am because I know myself and I know I'll be exhausted at night after work. Working out that early seems brutal to me but it works!

What helps me is planning all my workouts out a week in advance. I'll look at my work schedule and then coordinate which classes I'll be able to attend or what I will do each day.

This might sound ridiculous but I get three breaks at work, 2 fifteen minutes and 1 thirty minutes. I take 10 minutes out of each break and workout. I am lucky that my work has a gym so I hit the elliptical, treadmill or lift some weights. Without that option, I would head outside for a walk or climb the stairs for 10 minutes. Totals 30 minutes a day, maybe not the most ideal workout but it's at least SOMETHING!

great advice - once you get home it is much much harder to leave.

Excellent idea about the timer, people think they will just jump in the PC for a quick minute to check email and dont realize they ended up surfing around or on FB for 30minutes or an even an hour.