"Schedule" It?

I am no fitness fanatic.  However, I read Fitness and Shape magazines every month. Most often, they motivate me!  I love their success stories from normal people (not celebrities who seem to have unlimited funds and time) and find them to be a real inspiration.  The one thing that drives me nuts though is the incessant advice to 'schedule' your workouts.  Maybe it is because I don't yet have children and their schedules to contend with.  But really?  I need to write it on a calendar?

People ask me a lot where I find the motivation to go to the gym 4+ times a week.  The truth of it is:  I just go.  I rarely feel like it, but I always feel better after I go.  It has become routine to me, like a third job even.  True, sometimes I have to bribe myself with a beer or chocolate.  Nothing wrong with a reward system!  If it works for my dog, why not me?  ;)

I recently read in one of those magazines that people meed to shoot for 150 minutes of exercise a week.  I think that is a great thing to keep in mind.  Not all of my workouts are a full hour long.  For instance, tonight, I have to continue writing a 10 page paper for school.  Therefore, I will try to get a good, sweaty 40 minutes in on the elliptical.  Then I can still get home, shower, and try to cram 3 additional hours into this school project.  If I get enough accomplished tonight, I will extend my workout tomorrow night to make up for the shortfall tonight.  Is this what they mean about 'scheduling' my time?

I am also trying to incorporate more active activities on the weekends.  They might not be considered a workout, like fishing, or puttering in the yard, but it's better than melting into my couch.  Sometimes, they are a workout, like pushing a field 9+ times while pheasant hunting with Andy and our beautiful, talented dog, Claire. Hiking uneven terrain for hours is a killer workout!  Still, often these are impromptu adventures, not something I pencil in.

Maybe I am lazy.  Maybe I am less than organized.  I just don't see writing my workouts on a calendar.

Does anyone schedule their workouts in?  Does it work for you?