Five tips to help working mums find time to keep fit at home

Struggle to find time to squeeze in exercise around your other commitments? Here are five tips to help you find time to work out.

As most of us prepare for the wintery months, we’ll need to find ways to incorporate health and fitness into our busy lives from the comfort of our own homes.

With school runs, Zoom meetings and a whole host of other commitments taking up precious time in our days, it can be difficult to find time to work out and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Luckily, we’ve put together some tips to help you make time to keep fit as a working mum. 

1) Schedule time in your diary and stick to it

You’re more likely to stick to something if you’ve noted it down, so schedule times in your diary for when you intend to work out and stick to it – even if it means waking up earlier or making time to work out during your lunch break. 

According to Nike trainer Naomi Heffernan, who has recently partnered with Next on a series of home workouts, there are benefits to both working out in the morning and in the evening, the former being a great way to kick-start your day, while the latter is when your energy levels are at their peak. 

“If you decide to work out in the evening, you’re probably going to lift heavier and maybe run faster than you would in the morning purely because your body is so warmed up, you’ve been up for 12 hours already and you’re raring to go,” says trainer Naomi, who is also a fitness instructor at Barry’s. 

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what time of the day you exercise, as long as you carve out time in your busy schedule to get moving – even if it’s just for 15 minutes or so!

2) Take advantage of free online programs

Video content consumption has boomed since the start of the year, ranging from cooking to DIY and workout videos. So, if you miss your HIIT class, it’s easier than ever to hit it at home instead. Next’s recent collaboration with Nike sees a new workout video uploaded every week to the site and YouTube channel

You can easily follow these in the comfort of your own home. Each workout is less than 30 minutes and doesn’t require any equipment, so they’re easy to do in quick short bursts over lunch.

 “All you need is a bit of space, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t have a mat as long as you have got enough room to be moving around in,” says Naomi.  

3) Multi-task during your workouts

For working mums who are short on time, working out is a great opportunity to not only exercise your body but your brain as well. Why not exercise while you catch up on your latest podcast series or watch the news?

If you have an exercise bike or a treadmill you can fit in some cardio while you watch another episode or two. For an equipment-free option, squats and lunges are easy to do at home while you watch TV or even while cooking.

4) Get the kids involved

There’s no better way to release your children’s pent up energy than getting them to join in with your exercise routine. Following a home video workout or even going on a jog or walk together is the perfect way of merging family time and keeping your (and your children’s) health in tiptop condition. 

Alternatively, why not join the kids on their activities and challenge them to a game of badminton or tennis? This can be a brilliant way to stay fit and spend quality time together while also stressing the importance of being active to your little ones. It’s a fantastic way to bond and helps keep the whole family fit and healthy.

5) Find excuses to go for a walk

Walking has many health benefits: it not only improves performance of the heart, lungs and circulation but it also boosts the immune system.

If you’re keen for some fresh air after being sat at your desk all day, why not go for a walk? Find excuses to get outside – whether you’re picking up the kids from school, going to your local post office or treating yourself to a coffee or fresh flowers. 

If you’re heading to a local supermarket and know you don’t need to buy too much, ditch the car and walk there instead. The same way we found excuses to end up overdressed at a supermarket during lockdown, why not use a walk as an excuse instead. 

Remember, it’s more important than ever to prioritise health and find time to stay fit and active in such challenging times, so make sure to check out our other tips on maintaining your wellbeing.  

Photo by Maryjoy Caballero