--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of us think we don't have enough…" description: "\"Most of us think we don't have enough time to exercise. What a distorted paradigm! We don't have time not to. We're talking about three to six hours a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/stephen-covey-339_amount_most-of-us-think-we-don-t-have-enough-ti_2033516.png" --- # Most of us think we don't have enough time to exercise… ![“Most of us think we don't have enough time to exercise. What a distorted paradigm! We don't have time not to. We're talking about three to six hours a week - or a minimum of thirty minutes a day, every other day. That hardly seems an inordinate amount of time considering the tremendous benefits in…” quote by Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/stephen-covey-339_amount_most-of-us-think-we-don-t-have-enough-ti_2033516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/stephen-covey-339_amount_most-of-us-think-we-don-t-have-enough-ti_2033516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/stephen-covey-339_amount_most-of-us-think-we-don-t-have-enough-ti_2033516.png) > “Most of us think we don't have enough time to exercise. What a distorted paradigm! We don't have time not to. We're talking about three to six hours a week - or a minimum of thirty minutes a day, every other day. That hardly seems an inordinate amount of time considering the tremendous benefits in terms of the impact on the other 162 - 165 hours of the week.” [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often claim lack of time for exercise, but we can choose not to exercise; the required time is modest compared to the week’s total hours. **In simple terms:** Exercise needs little time if prioritized. Key Takeaway Allocate short, regular workout slots. Themes time management health priorities habit formation Mood pragmatic motivational Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - daily schedule planning - fitness routines - workplace wellness programs Key Concepts behavioral economics self‑discipline well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What small time slot can you dedicate to movement? - How can you reframe “no time” into “choose time”? A Different Perspective People may underestimate the effort needed to start and maintain a habit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Exercise and health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise-and-health/) [Exercise health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise-health/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Health and fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health-and-fitness/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Motivational workout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-workout/) [Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigm/) [Strength training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength-training/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Weight loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight-loss/) [Wellness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wellness/) [Workout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workout/) ## Related quotes > [The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body - and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/the-higher-your-energy-level-the-more-efficient-your-body-and-vice/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-exercise-alone-that-supports-the-spirits-and-keeps-the-mind-in/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-johnson/living-a-healthy-lifestyle-will-only-deprive-you-of-poor-health/) Jill Johnson > [There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/there-are-no-limits-there-are-only-plateaus-and-you-must-not-stay/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Patients should have rest, food, fresh air, and exercise - the quadrangle of health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/patients-should-have-rest-food-fresh-air-and-exercise-the-quadrangle/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [In golf, as in life, you get out of it what you put into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-snead/in-golf-as-in-life-you-get-out-of-it-what-you-put-into-it/) [Sam Snead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-snead/) > [The sovereign invigorator of the body is exercise, and of all the exercises walking is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-sovereign-invigorator-of-the-body-is-exercise-and-of-all-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Many so-called spiritual people, they overeat, drink too much, they smoke and don't exercise. But they do go to church every week and pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/many-so-called-spiritual-people-they-overeat-drink-too-much-they/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [Exercise and application produce order in our affairs, health of body, cheerfulness of mind, and these make us precious to our friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/exercise-and-application-produce-order-in-our-affairs-health-of-body/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Physical fitness can neither be acquired by wishful thinking nor by outright purchase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pilates/physical-fitness-can-neither-be-acquired-by-wishful-thinking-nor-by/) [Joseph Pilates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pilates/) > [I am pushing sixty. That is enough exercise for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-pushing-sixty-that-is-enough-exercise-for-me/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Better to hunt in fields, for health unbought, Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught, The wise, for cure, on exercise depend; God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/better-to-hunt-in-fields-for-health-unbought-than-fee-the-doctor-for/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [There is a necessity for a regulating discipline of exercise that, whilst evoking the human energies, will not suffer them to be wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/there-is-a-necessity-for-a-regulating-discipline-of-exercise-that/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [Any workout which does not involve a certain minimum of danger or responsibility does not improve the body - it just wears it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/any-workout-which-does-not-involve-a-certain-minimum-of-danger-or/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [If you let some time go by before considering work that you have done, you move toward a more objective position in judging it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wessel-jr/if-you-let-some-time-go-by-before-considering-work-that-you-have-done/) [Henry Wessel, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wessel-jr/) ## More by Stephen Covey > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Empathic listening takes time, but it doesn't take anywhere near as much time as it takes to back up and correct misunderstandings when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/empathic-listening-takes-time-but-it-doesn-t-take-anywhere-near-as/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [In a very real sense, there are only two roles in organisations: customers and suppliers. 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He is so much more than just a football coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/i-believe-in-coach-louis-wong-he-is-so-much-more-than-just-a-football/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people struggle with life balance simply because they haven't paid the price to decide what is really important to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/most-people-struggle-with-life-balance-simply-because-they-haven-t/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Highly proactive people don't blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/highly-proactive-people-don-t-blame-circumstances-conditions-or/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [When it comes to developing character strength, inner security and unique personal and interpersonal talents and skills in a child, no institution can or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/when-it-comes-to-developing-character-strength-inner-security-and/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Most people define greatness through wealth and popularity and position in the corner office. 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