Maybe it’s me, but doesn’t it seem harder to maintain an exercise or fitness routine as we age?

When you worked, perhaps you went to a gym after work, but once you’ve retired, that habit can easily go by the wayside. Ditto walks around the office park on your lunch hour.

Even if you’re still working, your good habits may have gone south during the upheaval of the pandemic, or other life changes may have intervened, causing you to forget about your longstanding exercise habits.

What can you do to get back on a good track?

While research has often shown that exercising with a buddy is a significant predictor of whether or not people will stay committed to an exercise program, it’s also important to choose the right kind of exercise for you. Consider how your personality might influence what kind of exercise is best for you.

Here’s what I mean:

If you’re a driven, independent personality, you might prefer exercising alone—perhaps you’d rather go for a solo jog or use a treadmill in your basement. If you’re a social animal, walking (and talking) with a friend might suit you. If you like peace and predictability, you might enjoy taking a tai chi or yoga class with a group. And if you have a data-driven analytical mind, you might like measuring your performance of whatever activity you choose. If you swim, for example, tracking the number of laps, speed of your laps, and frequency of swimming could serve as a motivator.

Or, you might want to mix things up like I do, because sometimes I like to be with others and sometimes I crave alone time. Here’s my usual regimen: On Mondays, I walk around a nearby lake with a long-time friend. Most Tuesdays, I take longer walks with a women’s group. Wednesdays or Thursdays, my daughter brings my grandsons for a visit. An afternoon of playtime with two young boys is exhausting! Other days, I do housecleaning or work outside, blowing leaves or planting flowers. I’m blessed to have an indoor pool at my house, and I do some laps and cardio by myself or with my husband nearly every day. (No, I don’t track the number of laps!)

Linking our exercise plan to our personality helps us establish and keep a routine. What does your personality say would be ideal exercise for you?