Fitting Fitness into Your Busy Schedule

It is hard enough juggling a demanding career, young children, and general family responsibilities with keeping fit or just having your alone time but I dare say that fitting in fitness goals into  the life of a schooling mum is so much harder. You might wonder why - As a grad student or to be more specific, a PhD student, you never feel like you have done enough. Your mind is always busy analysing your day, analysing how much work you have put in and how much more work needs to be done. Add that to the responsibility of raising one active toddler or more if you are lucky, then you get a really busy mom whose day is busy to the teeth. 

Today, I'm just going to share with you 5 tips on how I have managed to keep up with my gym routine (though I fail at it once in a while). 

Rule 1: Work out in a group - I really find that this has helped me a lot especially as I would usually look for an excuse (reasonable excuse) not to go to the gym. But with a work-out group, there is usually a plan and everyone knows what day and what time of the week you need to meet. This makes you accountable and elicits that 'I should not disappoint my team' response.

Rule 2: Get the children taken care of - If like me, you have a super supportive partner, you really have no issues. All you need to do is run your fitness plans by your partner and weave it into when he is available to take care of the kids. When your children are fine, that's 100 things less to worry about. Only then can you focus on your exercises - both mind and body. If on the other hand, your partner for some reason is not available neither is anyone you trust available to take care of your children, you might want to consider shelving the gym plan or explore Rule 3.

Rule 3: Fit gym days into your work days - I say this because I started off working out on Saturdays until I found out it was robbing me of spending quality time with my family. For us, Saturday is that time when we just go out together - shopping, visiting friends or just chilling at home enjoying one another's company. In achieving your fitness goals, you really don't want your family members feeling that you are robbing them of their time. So I decided to only go to the gym on weekdays after work. On days I intend to go to the gym, I like to start my day earlier - sometimes I arrive at the lab for 7.30am as opposed to my usual 9.30am resumption time. That way, I'm able to finish my plan for the day on time for gym activities.

Rule 4: Involve the whole family- What is more fun than having fitness fun with the fam? I think this is key to that fitness balance as a schooling mom. There are swimming classes for toddlers - have you tried enrolling them for those classes so they can learn to swim? That way the whole family can have a good swim, exercising your whole body while having fun. This, of course, can be a part of Saturday or Sunday hangout or even an evening after work.

Rule 5: Don't beat yourself up about it - Yeah right - that's easier said than done. But to think about it deeply, your gym time is mostly for bodily exercise. Consider that you do this every day from playing with your active toddler, walking to school, standing, sitting, bending or even kneeling in the lab ( I've seen all sorts of positions). But more seriously, give your mind a break - no one is dying because you missed your Zumba or Aikido class.

I hope you are able to get some fitness into your busy schedule as this week comes to and end and we approach the weekend. I would like to hear from you - how have you been able to keep fit?