One of the biggest reasons people skip workouts is because they think they don’t have enough time.

If you can’t fit in a full hour, why bother? If you only have 20 or 30 minutes, is it even worth it?

Absolutely.

A shorter workout can still be an incredibly productive workout. In fact, depending on your schedule, fitness level and goals, 20–30 focused minutes may be exactly what you need.

The key is making the time you do have count.

Instead of worrying about how long you’re exercising, think about what you’re actually doing during that time. A short strength workout that hits your major muscle groups, a brisk walk, a quick interval workout, or a combination of strength and cardio can all add meaningful movement to your day.

And those shorter workouts add up.

Three 30-minute workouts during a busy week are far better than waiting for the “perfect” week when you magically have an hour available every day.

This is also where consistency becomes much more important than perfection.

There are going to be weeks when you have plenty of time and energy to exercise. There are also going to be weeks when work is crazy, you’re tired, your family needs you, or life simply doesn’t cooperate.

Fitness needs to be able to exist during both kinds of weeks.

So the next time you catch yourself saying, “I only have 20 minutes,” try changing the sentence:

“I have 20 minutes. What can I do with them?”

Walk. Lift. Stretch. Do a few rounds of your favorite exercises. Put on one of your shorter C.G.M. Fitness workouts.

It doesn’t have to be your longest workout.

It doesn’t have to be your hardest workout.

It just has to be something.

And sometimes, something is exactly enough.