Exercise Tips for Busy Mums

Having a little one with you is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and yet it can also be one of the most tiring and exhausting. Little things like being able to take a shower or sit down to enjoy a coffee used to happen without you having to think about it, now you have to negotiate. The problem is that the more you give the more is taken, and that can soon lead to burnout and fatigue if you’re not careful. The good news is we’re going to change all that by getting you active and moving in just the right way.

Do you really have time to exercise?

If you’re picturing yourself heading to the gym, booking your morning off, and then working out for a couple of hours, that’s not what this article is all about. We know that every mother can only dream of such flexibility, that’s why we’re coming at things from a far more realistic angle.

You can get so much further by resigning yourself to exercising being something you do in and around family life, as opposed to something that tries to compete for your time. When the kids are older you will have more time to hit the gym, but for now, let’s just enjoy being active and intentionally healthy with your choices.

The following tricks and tips will tell you everything you need to know to build regular 15-minute bursts of exercise into your day. Plus, because we’ve thought about the little people, the activities you will be doing will double up as great entertainment and childcare.

Have a daily dancing competition

Putting on some YouTube nursery rhymes and then getting on your feet is a sure-fire way to get your little person excited. It’s all about making active movements fun and engaging, and music is the best way to do it. Make a habit of your daily competitions and before you know it the kids will be challenging you on the weekend. Great news when you want to get everyone active and having fun without them even realizing they are working up a sweat.

You could also ask for recommendations when it comes to new songs and tunes to dance to, all so you can keep things fresh and exciting. Add in new tunes with those family classics you all know, and love and you will be able to have hours of fun throughout the course of the year. The great thing about all this is that the fun is only just getting started.

Walk to and from nursery

Even if you have to commute some distance in the car to get there, you can still build some walking into your daily routine. Parking 10 minutes out from the nursery — if it’s a nice walk — could be a simple way to stretch your legs every day. And you never know, you might just find that it’s a lot less stressful if there is less traffic and parking chaos than in the middle of town!

If you’re not a fan of that idea but still want to get moving, stopping off at a local park or green space on the way home would be a great approach. Doing 1-2 laps of the park while chatting to your little one is a great way of getting them outside and into the fresh air while also increasing your daily step count. You’ll then be brimming with energy by the time you get home because you’ll have done something far more invigorating than battling your way through traffic.

Turn tidying toys into a race

Every mother feels your pain when it’s time to get the toys back in their boxes for the evening. The kids act like it’s the end of the world, the toys seem to move around the room every time your back is turned, and it just feels like the kind of task that is never going to end. And then you have a brainwave!

If you can give your kids points for every toy they put away and each book they pick up off the floor, something magical happens. By turning tidying into a game that’s all about speed, the room seems to tidy itself without you having to repeat yourself over and over again. The more you do it the more you’ll find that the kids want to set new points records, all while you stand back and watch the chaos give way to tidiness.

Go on walking playdates

Playdates don’t have to be indoors if you don’t want them to be — getting outside into the fresh air will do you all the world of good. The great thing about this approach is that it gets you to sidestep the midday energy dips that we all go through.

Pick a route that lasts about 30 mins, add in a coffee shop stop along the way, and then double back to put your feet up. You’ll soon find that other mums are asking to join, and you’ll have a whole group of you.

Your next move

The truth is that the first time you get active will always be the hardest, but it’s going to get so much easier from there. Closing Facebook, ignoring the latest online casino games, and leaving your Whatsapp chat until the evening is the first step. With your phone no longer pulling you back, you can get your little one moving, exercising, and smiling all at the same time. The beauty of it is that the more you do, the more you will want to do.

Take a moment to picture yourself doing the first tip on this list and you’ll be moving all day long before you know it. And because it’ll be positive, mood-boosting movement, you’re not going to be constantly out of breath or sore and aching come the end of the day.

Let the good times begin!