The plain plan
How to train when you have no time
Short answer
Start with 10 to 15 minutes a day of purposeful movement: a walk, bodyweight exercises or a quick yoga session. Keep training manageable and matched to your goals rather than trying to fit in hours at the gym. Choose a plan that survives busy weeks. Consistency beats perfection you abandon.
Dai Manuel · Coach Moose · Vancouver
By Dai Manuel, CrossFit L2, HYROX L2, Precision Nutrition, NeuroChange Practitioner. Last reviewed 28 September 2026.
How do I train when I have no time?
Start with 10 to 15 minutes of purposeful movement. Walk, use a few bodyweight exercises or do a short yoga session. Keep the session matched to the time you actually have instead of waiting for a clear hour that may not arrive.
A short session is not a lesser session when it is the one you can repeat. The first job is to build a place for movement in a busy week.
What can I do in 15 minutes?
The Power 30 uses 15 minutes of movement as its training block. You can walk briskly, or choose a simple bodyweight circuit and keep moving until the timer ends. You do not need a gym or a complicated setup.
If today only gives you 10 minutes, use the 10. Keeping the habit alive matters more than forcing the full session into a day that cannot hold it.
How does this connect to the 2% Solution?
The full daily practice is 15 minutes of movement, 5 minutes of stillness and 10 minutes of reading. You can do the three blocks together or split them across the day. Start with movement, let it hold for a few days, then add the other pieces.
The plan has to survive a work trip, a sick kid and the worst week of your year. Consistency beats a perfect plan you abandon.
Read the full 2% Solution guide.
Questions
- Is 10 minutes of exercise worth doing?
- Yes. Use the 10 minutes you have. A short session you repeat is more useful than an hour-long plan you keep postponing.
- Do I need a gym for a short workout?
- No. A brisk walk, bodyweight exercises or a short yoga session all count as purposeful movement.
- Do I have to complete 15/5/10 all at once?
- No. You can split movement, stillness and reading across the day. Start with the block you can protect and build from there.
Sources
- The Power 30
- The Whole Life Fitness Manifesto
- Episode 1: The Ripple Effect of Devoting 2% of Your Day to Yourself
Keep going
- The plain answer, with passages from the podcast archive
- How to build a habit that sticks
- Why you keep starting and quitting
- What is the Power 30
- What morning routine actually works
- The 2% Solution: what it is and how to start
- How to lose a dad bod