I've just started a physical exercise programme. It's not particularly strenuous – a combination of brisk walking, sit ups, lifting a few weights and spending some time on my exercise bike.After a few short weeks, I managed to develop this into a regular routine. At the appointed hour I find myself reaching for my trainers and donning my exercise garb for the day's workout. Proof indeed that a repeated action can become a habit.One day, because of work commitments – I do more than write my blog – I found that I wouldn't have enough time for my routine. 'Easy,' I thought, 'I'll just do twice as much the next day to compensate.' Unfortunately, when that day came around I decided, 'Oh, it doesn't matter. I'll just do my normal routine.'So in fact I had allowed myself to fall behind in my programme. My commitment was poor.So, the next time I knew I wasn't going to be able to do my exercises I hit upon a better strategy to defeat my predicted lethargy. I reasoned, 'Why not do twice as much exercise the day before?' This was much easier than postponing. I was a lot more primed to do the exercise because I was focussed on the idea of doing it before the missing day. Although I did the same amount of walking, I doubled the number of sit ups, reps with the weights and time spent on the exercise bike.The next part of the story really explains how to do more exercise. After completing the new workout I realised that if it is possible for me to do that amount of exercise that day, it's possible for me to do the same amount every day.Now I have a new exercise regime that involves twice as many sit ups and reps with the weights. I felt so good about this new regime I decided to add a bit more walking as well. So my new exercise regime is now more intensive than my original one. And, if I miss a day because of work, it doesn't matter because I am already doing more exercise than I was before.Therefore if you have an exercise routine that you are doing and you know there's a day coming up when you won't be able to follow it, just do like me. Increase the amount of exercise you do before the day off and then make that your new routine.