My Journey in Finding Work / Life / Fitness Balance

I get a lot of questions on how I find time to workout or make fitness a priority when I run my own business and have now started my own conference. Well, in short, I don’t always feel like I have total balance over work, life, and fitness but I do have some tips that have helped me over the years.

1.  Two nights on and one night off rule- Years ago I watched a YouTube video about only allowing two nights in a row of events/meetings/gatherings and then by the third night you should “take a night off”. This rule for me has really helped me learn to say no, which we will talk more about next. So when I’m planning events or thinking about accepting an invitation I look at my calendar first that way I don’t spread myself too thin. It can be tempting to say yes to every event/meeting/gathering but you have to be realistic with your time.
2. Learning to say no- I have a hard time being a people pleaser and I say yes, yes and yes to everything without being realistic of my limitations. Learning to say no or prioritize certain events over others. By saying no to events or gatherings gives me time to meal prep, workout or just spend time with my husband and dog. I can’t stress this tip enough, by saying no you are taking care of yourself.
3. Timing- Figure out your best timing to work out. Personally, for me, I am a morning person, so if I know I have a jammed pack day I will get up extra early to work out. I know after a long day there is very little chance I will go to the gym so I make sure do it first thing in the morning.
4. Goal setting– Have a clear fitness plan. Are you looking to lose weight, maintain or gain? Over the holidays I get pretty lax with my diet but I also give my body time to rest and enjoy the holidays. For the spring I kick it into high gear and go back to regular workout sessions and clean up my diet. You have do have clear goals in order to find balance. Ask yourself what do you want from your fitness plan, then find a way to add it into your routine.
5. Staying motivated– The best thing to help stay motivated is to have a good tribe. Find a group of friends or group training classes and this will help keep you motivated to show up. When your around like minded people it will help you stay on track.
6. Give yourself a Break- Truly sometimes in life, some things have to take a backseat, that’s just the way it is. So don’t beat yourself up if fitness isn’t your first priority, you are doing the best you can in that moment. When I launched my conference it was right after Thanksgiving, so between all the holiday madness and getting this conference off the ground I didn’t workout that much. I used my time to focus on my new business and that’s okay! Learning not to beat yourself up or feel guilty about missing a workout is so important for your mental health.

I hope you use these tips and that they help you find your journey with fitness, work and life. Again I feel like I’m just figuring out as I go but that’s okay. Keep going after your dreams and everything will workout.

Photography by Stacey Poterson