Run Your Own Business, Take Care of Your Kids, and Train for a Marathon - 8 Simple Steps
Taking care of a young baby, running your own business, and training for a marathon takes a lot of planning, flexibility, determination, and drive. So, over the past few months I have come up with a proven method for doing all three and have still managed to maintain my sanity, and a decent sleep schedule. Here are a few steps I recommend...
1. Plan your day. With a young baby this can be a bit of a challenge but it is critical. Writing down everything you are going to do every day and having a plan will allow you to be flexible when things do not go as you hoped.
2. Be consistent. If you ask any successful athlete what has contributed to their success, 9 out of 10 will say being consistent with their training has been a major factor. This does not mean you have to go out and do hard work outs every day or that you cannot miss a run; however, it does mean that you need to remain on track and run as much as you can whenever you can. It is not the single workout but the repeated effort that gets results.
3. Forgive yourself if you miss a workout. Do not waste any time or energy on feeling guilty. Just pick it up again tomorrow. If you find you are consistently missing 2 or more workouts a week, reevaluate your schedule and change it up a bit. Maybe try working out in the morning instead of in the afternoon when the business of the day seems to pile up.
4. Hire a babysitter. If you are dying to do a long trail run and you cannot find anyone who can help you out, hire a babysitter and get out there. It may seem like a crazy way to spend money but you will enjoy every minute of it and it will do wonders for your motivation. Sometimes all we need to stay motivated for the week is one amazing run.
5. Work out at the same time every day. Make it a habit that is part of your schedule and that your baby or child comes to expect. I used to work out at random times during the day, whenever I could fit it in and my little girl Dylan was "ready". I found that my day felt very fractured and I never got into a groove. Now, I work out at the same time every day and Dylan runs with me and expects it like she expects her daily naps.
6. Eat well, drink a lot of water, and stretch. These three things alone will help you run better, run more, and recover quickly.
7. Find a running buddy. Hook up with someone who is on a similar "road" as you. You can both strap your kids into the jogging strollers and head for the hills. I always find I come up with my best ideas when I am running and it is great to be able to share the joys, stresses, and victories of life with someone else. Some of the best relationships I have with people began when we would run together. Also, it is much harder to bail on a run when someone is waiting on you.
8. Have fun. Just because you have a million other things going on and it took everything you had to get out for your run, remember to have fun and to continue to connect with why you run in the first place. Running is a joy and a gift and it makes you feel more alive than you have ever felt. Slow down and enjoy the ride.
1. Plan your day. With a young baby this can be a bit of a challenge but it is critical. Writing down everything you are going to do every day and having a plan will allow you to be flexible when things do not go as you hoped.
2. Be consistent. If you ask any successful athlete what has contributed to their success, 9 out of 10 will say being consistent with their training has been a major factor. This does not mean you have to go out and do hard work outs every day or that you cannot miss a run; however, it does mean that you need to remain on track and run as much as you can whenever you can. It is not the single workout but the repeated effort that gets results.
3. Forgive yourself if you miss a workout. Do not waste any time or energy on feeling guilty. Just pick it up again tomorrow. If you find you are consistently missing 2 or more workouts a week, reevaluate your schedule and change it up a bit. Maybe try working out in the morning instead of in the afternoon when the business of the day seems to pile up.
4. Hire a babysitter. If you are dying to do a long trail run and you cannot find anyone who can help you out, hire a babysitter and get out there. It may seem like a crazy way to spend money but you will enjoy every minute of it and it will do wonders for your motivation. Sometimes all we need to stay motivated for the week is one amazing run.
5. Work out at the same time every day. Make it a habit that is part of your schedule and that your baby or child comes to expect. I used to work out at random times during the day, whenever I could fit it in and my little girl Dylan was "ready". I found that my day felt very fractured and I never got into a groove. Now, I work out at the same time every day and Dylan runs with me and expects it like she expects her daily naps.
6. Eat well, drink a lot of water, and stretch. These three things alone will help you run better, run more, and recover quickly.
7. Find a running buddy. Hook up with someone who is on a similar "road" as you. You can both strap your kids into the jogging strollers and head for the hills. I always find I come up with my best ideas when I am running and it is great to be able to share the joys, stresses, and victories of life with someone else. Some of the best relationships I have with people began when we would run together. Also, it is much harder to bail on a run when someone is waiting on you.
8. Have fun. Just because you have a million other things going on and it took everything you had to get out for your run, remember to have fun and to continue to connect with why you run in the first place. Running is a joy and a gift and it makes you feel more alive than you have ever felt. Slow down and enjoy the ride.