This article is to address concerns that most parents have about juggling time with their children and finding time for exercise. This is for those parents who keep saying that they would rather spend the little free time that they have with their children.

You should also read an earlier article based on Steven Covey’s First Things First. Steven teaches you how to prioritize the tasks that are important in life.

Who Wears the Oxygen Mask First

Have you ever wondered why you are asked to wear your own oxygen mask first before you put one on for your child? This is standard practice in every airline in times of emergency. There is very limited reaction time during emergency. Putting on the oxygen mask on your self first goes against our natural instinct. It just feels wrong.

Nature has programmed parents to put their children ahead of themselves. The survival of the child has always been more crucial than the survival of the parent. Nature’s only goal is for the propagation of the species. We are thus programmed to sacrifice ourselves for our children.

Lets assume that you do go on and put on the mask for you child first. What happens if there is not enough oxygen and you are not able to put on your own mask on time. Your child has his or her mask on and you have not. Oxygen is running out and you would probably be dead very soon. Who will tend to your child now?

Is it Selfish to Tend to Your Well Being

People who complain that they do not have the time to exercise should remember the analogy of the oxygen mask. Parents complain that exercise takes time away from their children. Parents have limited time as it is. Exercise is important but not urgent. Spending time with their children is important and urgent. What would happen if the parent one day gets a heart attack and dies. Would this not be similar to the analogy of the oxygen mask.

Exercise is a proven way to stay healthy. You need to stay healthy so that you can be around for your children. Stop making excuses about not having enough time. Everyone has the same amount of time. Its not a lack of time but a lack of priorities. If exercise was a high priority task, you would find the time. This is precisely what you would do if you were given a thousand dollars to finish your jog tomorrow.

Incidentally, Obama found time to exercise even during the busy run-up to the presidential elections. He exercised because it was a high priority task. Stop making excuses and start placing exercise as a high priority task.