'It's yelling at me to do at least 20 minutes': Mum's number one hack to revamp her workout motivation

Winter is finally over. 

While we layered up and drank plenty of hot chocolate during the chilly months, it's likely the well-oiled routines we set in the new year got a bit rusty.

One of those routines that likely got a little less TLC than normal is your fitness routine.

You'd be forgiven for feeling a little less motivated in the exercise department at the moment – it's definitely something I've been feeling.

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It's been nine months since we set those big New Year's resolutions and the winter months have wreaked havoc on our motivation levels – so now what? 

Well… while we get to spring cleaning our wardrobes and kitchens, why not give our fitness routines a bit of a spring clean as well?

We don't have to wait for the champagne- and motivation-fuelled New Year to set new goals and start afresh, and I'd say spring is as good a time as any to do so.

But how do we go about reinvigorating our exercise routines and refreshing our  motivation when, for some of us, it's gone completely out the window?

For me, the best way to refresh my motivation is to set a new goal. As a runner, this usually involves signing up to a new running race. Having an event on the horizon that I know I'm going to have to compete in always gives me the motivation I need to get back into training. 

But don't just take my word for it. 

READ MORE: Everything I wish I knew before running my first half marathon

For some help, I asked some of my 9honey colleagues if they had any tricks they use to get out of an exercise slump and feel motivated again. 

And boy, did they come through with the goods.

Here's a run down of some of their genius tips: 

Remove any resistance

For one colleague, a mother of three who works full-time, her ultimate tip is to have some exercise gear set up and ready to use – removing any resistance to working out. 

"I set up a little exercise spot in my living room and left it set up instead of packing it away. It's there every day staring at me until I use it," she said. 

"It's just a cute yoga mat, a set of weights and a towel, but all set up, yelling at me to do at least 20 minutes of anything."

Is this not genius?

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Make it fun

It's so easy to get caught in the trap of treating exercise like another chore we need to tick off the to-do list, along with the laundry and the grocery shopping.

But this is a surefire way to quickly kill any motivation you feel around moving your body and turn your gym visit into a snooze-fest.

Yes, exercise is amazing for our mental and physical health but it can also be so much fun. This is what another one of our officemates tries to remind herself of when she feels her motivation slipping away.

"I try to look at exercise as a hobby, rather than a chore (difficult I know) but it helps me make time for it instead of feeling like I 'have to'," she says. 

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"I also find booking into a different exercise class or going along to something with a friend is a good way to get out of a rut."

Start small

For another colleague, their number one tip is to start small and keep it simple.

"If I haven't been sticking to my regular exercise routine and I'm finding it hard to get started, I try to convince myself to do something for 10 minutes like a quick walk around the block or some glute exercises with ankle weights as I watch TV," they said.

"So long as I'm moving for 10 minutes I can usually convince myself to keep going for a few more. I try to do this a few days in a row and before I know it I'm back to my usual routine."

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