I tried exercising for five minutes every day for a month—here's what I learned about forming healthy habits in the process

Man in shorts and T-shirt unfurling exercise mat in midair. He is outside on a balcony or porch.

Keep missing workouts? What's your excuse? Mine is time. Even if I jump out of bed with the best of intentions to exercise, something will derail me.

Lately it's my one-year-old, waking ahead of schedule and robbing me of the 30 minutes I had allocated to work out. If not him, it's unforeseen traffic jams, train delays or self-sabotage—going to bed too late and waking up too tired.