How To Make Time For Workouts When You Are A Busy Mom

This post addresses the all-too-common question of how to make time for workouts when you are a busy mom. As moms, we are juggling work, school, kids, homemaking, and many other tasks throughout the day, creating a real challenge of figuring out where to squeeze in a workout. We want to stay active and prioritize our health, but somehow, the day always seems to get away from us, and by the time we realize we didn’t get some strength training in, our head is already on the pillow. “Tomorrow,” we say, only to find the same cycle repeating itself.

After fifteen years of balancing motherhood with fitness, I’ve learned to be creative in fitting workouts into my life. The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice your family obligations to make room for your personal health and fitness journey.

Remember, just like the weather has its seasons, so does life! We are constantly transitioning from one chapter to another. Don’t hesitate to mix things up if you need to. It’s important to try new things that work for you at each stage of life. Here are a few strategies I have used over the years to maintain my health and fitness routines as a mother of five kids!

Tip # 1: Wake Up Early

A lot of you are going to hate me for saying this, but waking up early is one of the best ways you can ensure you can get a workout in each day. I rolled my eyes when I first heard this advice from another mom. No way am I waking up early, I thought to myself. However, the more I considered it, the more I realized it was a reasonable suggestion.

With a few shifts to my schedule, I could start waking up earlier than everyone else in the house, get my prayer and study time in, and then hit the gym for a workout. This worked out perfectly for me and allowed the rest of my day to flow much better. Not only did I start my morning with purpose and routine, but it also helped me maintain a positive attitude throughout the day.

If you are anything like I was, and think, “Absolutely not!” I want to encourage you to just try it. Depending on what you want to accomplish before your children wake up, you will need to get up one to two hours earlier than you normally do. This meant that I was waking up at 5 AM, but I know plenty of people who wake up at 6 AM.

Your morning schedule could look something like this:

5 AM: Prayer and Bible
6 AM: Workout
7 AM: Shower/Dressed/Wake kids up
8 AM: Breakfast and School

OR

6 AM: Workout
6:45-7:15 AM: Prayer and Bible
7:15 AM: Wake kids up
7:30 AM: Shower/Dressed/Breakfast
8:00 AM: School

These are just examples. You have to create a schedule that will work for you and your family. My challenge to you is to create a morning routine and stick to it for 30 days. Download the free morning routine schedule to explore different morning routine options that will work for you!

Tip # 2: Workout while doing chores or Relaxing

On days when you are really short on time, try implementing exercises while you are doing daily chores. I remember the days when my kids would lie down for an hour of quiet time, and I would use it to fold laundry, do dishes, and clean the kitchen. Try doing squats for the length of time it takes you to fold a shirt or jeans. After folding five items, do five burpees. This adds length to your chore time, but trust me, this is an effective way to keep your heart rate up while you are doing chores. Do a few sets of calf raises when you stand at the sink to do dishes.

Before starting your chores, write down the exercises you want to do and rotate between them until you’ve completed 3 to 5 sets.

While I know we are all busy, we all make time for our current Netflix or Hulu series. So whenever you sit down to watch your show, grab a few dumbbells and work out during the show. I used to do this several times a week! Now, if I’m short on steps for the day, I walk on a walking pad while I watch a movie.

Tip # 3: Join a Gym with childcare

Working out from home doesn’t appeal to everyone. If you are one of the women who gets distracted easily trying to work out from home, then prioritize a gym that offers childcare. I know many of us moms would like to leave the mess and chaos behind and step into a gym that allows us to focus 100% of our energy on training. This is crucial for optimal performance if you get stuck thinking about the dishes in the sink or the mess all over the living room floor.

Call local gyms near you and ask if they offer childcare. Usually, they let you walk through their facilities and train for a free week to see if you like it. This allows you to go anytime that works for your schedule.

Tip # 4: Start doing classes

Many gyms offer classes throughout the day. If mornings and afternoons don’t work for you, try picking up a class later in the evening. Classes take all the guesswork out of a routine, making them really good for when you’ve had a long day and don’t want to think, but want to release some of that stressful energy with a solid workout.

If you only have thirty minutes to dedicate to working out each day, classes offer maximum results in minimal time. There is setting up or tearing down, everything is provided for you. All you have to do is show up and follow along. The community aspect is always refreshing because it is a chance to talk to adults (if you are at home most of the day with babies).

Let’s be real, following a YouTube video isn’t always the most challenging or motivating option, especially when you have to clean up the living room before you begin, or dodge toys in the process.

Tip # 5: Find workouts that include your kids

It isn’t a bad thing for kids to see their mom being active! We influence our children by setting an example. When we prioritize our health through daily exercise, we are teaching our kids that it is important to be active to stay healthy. Let your kids work out next to you while you put on Insanity or lift weights. My kids will do push-ups and sit-ups next to me while I lift or follow a program.

This option requires extra patience, but since you are teaching your kids at the same time, it seems extra worth it. 😉

Tip # 6: Prioritize your health

You have to decide that your health is important enough to prioritize. Life is full most of the time, and even when things calm down, it probably won’t be a priority later if you aren’t making your fitness routine a priority now. We will always make excuses for ourselves because we want to take the path of least resistance. It’s important to determine whether you genuinely lack time or if you tend to make excuses.

Sometimes, tough love can be difficult to hear, but it is often what we need to reset our minds and remember that our health is important, even if we are busy moms. After having my fifth baby, I gained 20 pounds because I was not prioritizing my health. With many life changes happening, I allowed excuses to keep me from being active for a while. This mindset negatively affected my self-control with food and drinking, as well as my self-esteem. After a year, I decided to stop making excuses and start prioritizing my health again. This decision immediately boosted my confidence and self-control, and I regained power over my mind and thoughts.

We all have to choose our hard! It was difficult not to fit into my clothes, feeling aches in my body from the weight gain, and noticing the negative effects on my skin from not prioritizing exercise.
It was hard to get off my butt and choose to walk during a show in the evenings instead of sitting on the couch, and it was hard to feel sore from lifting heavy weights again. However, the challenges I faced from choosing to work out brought rewards that made it all worthwhile in the end.

Make a list of why it is important to prioritize your health. Write down all the negative side effects you are dealing with right now, and how prioritizing exercise could help eliminate some of those adverse effects you feel.

Tip # 7: Habits & Consistency

Being a mom is one of the best, most fulfilling jobs out there. I wouldn’t change being a mother to my five children for anything! All of the late-night conversations, the crying from falling down, and the excitement of losing their first tooth are worth my time, energy, and effort. Which is why creating habits in your day and building consistency will drive your fitness journey throughout motherhood. You aren’t giving up your time, you are learning to make the best use of it.

Choosing to wake up early isn’t about perfection; it is about purpose. Whether you wake up early or stay up late, the habits you form will create a routine, and consistency will follow.

Finding time to work out when you have a busy schedule can be challenging. However, there are small changes you can make every day to establish a routine and ensure you prioritize your health through fitness and activity. Start by incorporating exercise into your daily chores, waking up early to fit in a workout, or joining gym classes to hold yourself accountable. Your fitness is important, and by making these efforts, you positively influence your family. Choosing to overcome the obstacles of working out and staying active contributes to your overall health, and your family sees that!