In a recent workshop for working parents, the group identified factors that would need to be in place for the work-family situation to be ideal.   In addition to childcare, flexibility, Plan B in case of illness and all of that good, practical stuff – one of the most common requirements for good working parenting was ‘more energy’.

A quick poll of the group uncovered that exercise is one of the first activities to be turfed when things get busy.  When you’re so tired you have to drag yourself out of bed (argh!! please, just five more minutes!) and when you have too much to do and not enough time to pack it all in, how can you possibly ‘indulge’ in a half-hour walk?

Our guest speaker was a mum of four kids, ranging in age from 22 to two.  She is General Manager of a busy recruiting company, working full-time.   How does she do it?  She gets up at 5.30am and walks the dog.  It’s her ‘me time’.  Her ‘giver of energy’.

FIVE THIRTY AM.  That hour favoured by toddlers and insomniacs and those people who always have to be the first person to post a comment after an online article.  Why? Why?

My sister began walking with the pram after my gorgeous (sometimes demanding) niece was born.  It boosted her mental health to be out of the house in the fresh air, moving.  What started as a ‘mental break’ began to feel good physically.

After a while, and a second baby, walking didn’t seem like enough of a challenge.  To cut a long story short, she’s now completed two ‘City to Surfs’.  My sister!  Never a runner until the challenges of kids and work drove her to it!

I have some work to do on regaining my fitness, and currently walk for an hour, two or three times a week.  In January this year I pushed the pram 5km every day.  Looking back, I’ve never been as productive or focused as I was this January – 35,000 words of a novel fell onto the page in four weeks and the business kept ticking over, as did the school holidays.

What I’ve learnt is that the more I have to do, the more I have to exercise.  At the first whiff of ‘Gahh! Overwhelm!’ I put on my walking shoes, even if it’s for a fifteen-minute brisk walk around the block.  I walk before interviews, workshops and anything requiring a clear head and calmed nerves.  Including – or perhaps, especially – if I’m being driven around the twist by kids.

Is working parenthood hard?  (Rhetorical question.)   Boost your energy and calm your mind by moving in the fresh air regularly.   If it’s hard to get going, change the mental images around exercise and picture yourself walking through the door afterwards, feeling stronger and more energised from the accomplishment.

Five Tips For Fitting Exercise into a Busy Life

Make exercise a priority. We all make time in our lives for the things that are most important to us. If you knew you’d get a million dollars if you exercised everyday for the next 30 days, would you do it? Ah yep..because it would suddenly become a priority. If you’re serious about finding time for exercise, then it must be a priority in your life.

Block out the same time period everyday for exercise. This way it becomes part of your daily routine just like brushing your teeth. Make sure your partner is on board and understands this is your time.

Exercise first thing in the morning. This is when your exercise time is least likely to get interrupted by other things.

Combine visiting friends while walking around the neighborhood rather than sitting on the couch.

Make your exercise as enjoyable as possible.You will be much more likely to find time for things you enjoy, rather than feeling like it’s something you dread.