Where does that leave the already time-poor mum juggling business and family? By the end of the day, with work responsibilities in addition to housework, school runs, meal prep and constant caregiving, there is rarely any space left for extras. But keeping in shape and staying positive is important for everyone, not only for maintaining energy and longevity, but to be seen doing so by your kids. The reality is, you don’t have to spend time on complex workouts or a gym membership at all to get fit. In fact, with just a little bit of creativity and effort, it’s totally achievable to incorporate successful fitness habits into the most hectic of schedules. With that in mind, here’s 11 simple fitness hacks for Busy Moms who want to take care of themselves while not feeling guilty, overwhelmed or spending time away from their family. These are the best 15 time-saving tips to help you be more active, better your mood and lift your overall wellness while handling the exhausting, beautiful chaos of motherhood. Every trick is shareable and actionable so they are easy to pass on to friends or begin incorporating into your life in small ways.
1. Fit in Micro-Workouts All Day Long
Micro-workouts are little spurts of physical activity — generally five to 10 minutes at a time — that you can sprinkle throughout your day. The great thing about this approach is that you need no special equipment or a large block of time. For instance, you might do a set of bodyweight squats while the coffee brews, do 20 jumping jacks (or hold a plank) during a TV commercial break or take a few minutes before bed to do some gentle yoga stretches. These little daily efforts may add up — contributing to better cardiovascular health, strength and more overall energy. The struggle of “finding time” is much less of a struggle for busy moms when the workouts are broken down into smaller increments. Research has suggested that even brief rounds of physical activity can boost metabolism and reduce stress hormones. And micro-workouts can help reboot your brain so you can remain focused and positive in meeting parenting and work demands. The trick is to be consistent and creative so that daily habits and routines become your chance to move and challenge your body.
2. Housework can Make You Slim!
Many household chores — vacuuming, mopping, gardening, even clearing the table — can, if done the right (read: deliberate) way, take the place of cardio, which is why they all up your daily workout count on your fitness tracker. Rather than doing them slow and lazy, speed it up and add some moves that work more than just one set of muscles. It could be, for instance, using oversized arm swings as you vacuum or performing calf raises as you walk around. In between washing windows or scrubbing floors, throw in some lunges or side steps. Digging, squatting, and carrying bags of soil or plants are part of gardening, and it helps you build strength and power. Set your favorite, upbeat music and make chores a fun, rhythmic dance-inspired workout. This method allows exercise to feel less like a “should”—an adding to your to-do list — and more like an energizing part of your day. It’s also highly efficient: Your home gets cleaner while you help your heart health and muscle tone. In due course, it can help one manage one’s weight, de-stress and feel a sense of achievement, all the while getting necessary everyday tasks done.
3. Take Advantage of your Kids’ Playtime
Playtime with kids is not just a chance for them to burn off energy — it can be yours, too. Instead of sitting back while scrolling through your phone, participate in active play with your children. Romping them, chasing, playing tag or jumping rope madly with them burns calories and increases cardiovascular endurance. If you can’t join in directly, arrange an exercise station nearby where you perform basic body-weight exercises such as lunges, push-ups or planks while the children play, and you supervise. Or try working on a yoga or stretching program to gain flexibility and find mental peace. Your participation in your children’s play also cements your relationship and helps them see physical activity as a natural, fun opportunity. Modeling this behavior is key to instilling healthy habits from a young age in your kids. And this approach eliminates the demands of, say, childcare or gym time, making fitness a natural part of family life that isn’t forced.
4. Choose Active Forms of Transportation, Whenever You Can
Selecting active means of transportation is a small, but impactful step towards increasing daily physical activity. If you can, walk or bike (or scooter) to school drop-offs or grocery runs or short errands instead of driving to them. You lift your step in these options, working your legs more and getting a better cardiovascular workout. Even light walking can help fight stress and improve your mood, which can be a game-changer for busy moms juggling multiple roles. If full trips are impractical due to time or distance constraints, park farther away or disembark public transportation a station early to bump up your walking hours. Another great way to throw good cardio and leg strength building into your routine without getting in the way is to opt to take the stairs instead of the elevators or escalators. Individually, these minor adjustments add up over time in terms of your fitness and overall well-being, and help you live a greener lifestyle too.
5. Utilize online workout videos for moms on the go
With the plethora of online exercise options, mommas on the go are able to find exercise routines that work for them anywhere, any time. Several platforms and fitness influencers offer short, high-impact sessions geared toward moms who don’t have a whole lot of time, or space. Many of these exercises can be done with minimal equipment and they are also designed to help you move better, strengthen your core, correct posture and increase flexibility. Videos include 10-minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes to soothing postpartum yoga routines. You get to choose the workout you want and the energy level and encourage you want to put out! Squeezing workouts in between your kids’ naps, early mornings or evenings help you stick to a routine. Because the videos are guided, there’s less guesswork and finding motivation to stay with a routine becomes easier. (There’s nothing like a friendly peer making them do push-ups with you through Zoom to keep you motivated.) When favorite workout videos are shared with friends or you’re part of virtual bands of fitness bootstrappers, you’ve got a ring full of support local. This source offers an entry point and a means to adapt exercise so that you can take on fitness as a mom, on your own terms.
6. Schedule “Fitness Dates” with Friends
Everyone knows that exercising is far much better when you have a friend. Planning regular “fitness dates” establishes social pressure to get your butt to the gym, even if you’re not feeling it on that particular day. Whether it’s that morning walk, a group yoga class or a dance workout in your living room over a video call, the social component makes fitness enjoyable and less of a chore. Fitness dates are emotionally supportive, they combat feelings of isolation and they create camaraderie among moms who can relate to the struggle of balancing motherhood with self-care. When getting active is a social event, it’s easier to develop a regular routine and actually look forward to movement instead of dreading it. Just checking in once a week for a virtual workout can be enough for those with very packed schedules to keep motivation on track. These sessions are also a chance to exchange advice, celebrate successes, and encourage a good fitness culture between you and your friend group.
7. Embrace Resistance Training With Items From Around Your Home
“Our mothers are doing lots of heavy-lifting, quite literally,” says Glasgow-based personal trainer and pre- and post-natal specialist Sarah Bartlett Lee. The good news: You don’t have to belong to a gym or own fancy equipment to get started with strength training. You can use household items like water bottles, canned goods, a backpack filled with books or jugs of laundry detergent as weights. With these, you can do exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses, weighted squats, and deadlifts in your living room. Strength keeps you functioning at peak physical fitness, making day-to-day activities like lugging toddlers, lifting groceries and playing with those kiddos a bit easier (and safer). And it can help your posture and decrease your risk of injury — both common problems for busy moms. Just two or three brief strength sessions per week will make a huge difference in your overall energy and physical tolerance to the demands of a busy life.
8. Practice Mindful Movement and Stretching
Yoga, tai chi or even just some simple stretching movements provide you the physical and mental energy you so desperately need as a mom on-the-go! Spending just 10 minutes a day on breath, posture, and gentle movement has been shown to reduce muscle tension, increase flexibility, and improve mental clarity. These movements help offset the physical price of doing the same movement over and over again, whether it’s carrying kids or leaning over a device. Mindful movement also decreases stress hormones, reduces blood pressure, and elevates the quality of sleep. By incorporating these things into your day, you give yourself a quiet, restorative break amidst the hustle and bustle, and to reconnect with your body and spirit. Over time, this comprehensive approach builds resilience, mitigates chronic pain, and enhances a calm, centered mindset that benefits both you and your family.
9. Organize a family-wide fitness challenge
Make fitness fun by turning it into a game with family fitness challenges. These challenges can be a set goal around daily steps, a jump rope contest, a wall sit or how long you can hold a yoga pose. The friendly competition makes everyone want to move, and it’s a great way to develop teamwork and communication. Celebrate the little successes with small treats or privileges to maintain the momentum. Family-friendly fitness challenges make exercise fun as a part of everyday life, encouraging habits that will foster healthy kids. These games emphasize cooperation and communal support, promoting family closeness. By integrating exercise into family time, it doesn’t seem like an extra chore (or something done alone). When we all give a little, fitness becomes a way of live that can bind us all together.
10. Leverage Tech to Follow and Encourage Your Progress
For busy moms wanting to stay in shape, technology is offered as a powerful asset to the arsenal. Fitness trackers and smartwatches (and even connected smartphone apps) can help keep you focused and track your daily activity, count steps, log workouts, and occasionally monitor how long and how well you’ve slept. Creating customized goals and getting reminders helps to establish discipline and routine. A lot of apps also come with their own challenges, social sharing and rewards to maintain motivation. Seeing progress is a great motivator! Seeing progress, no matter how small, pushes you the next day to go just that little bit further. And when your days are packed to the gills, having real data eliminates any guesswork about whether you’re on the right track. Furthermore, online communities of mums on the same journey are there to offer support, share advice and provide support. The technology makes fitness less of an ambiguous notion and turns it into something measurable, interactive, and doable.
11. Best way to sleep for recovery and less pain?
Fitness isn’t exclusively about what you’re doing—it’s also about what you do between workouts, and for busy moms, rest is an easy thing to skimp on. If you want faster recovery, muscle repair, hormonal balance and sheer recovery of your body, lineage it your number one! Being sleep deprived impairs immune function, mood, and motivation, which makes it harder and less fun to exercise. But, prioritizing sleep involves establishing a consistent bedtime routine, cutting back on screen time before bed, and turning your bedroom into a haven of rest. Adding in some brief relaxation practices — such as meditation, deep breathing, or a bit of gentle stretching — before bed can help with recovery as well. When you’re well-rested, your body feels more resilient and focused, and you’re more engaged in physical exercise and daily life. Considering rest as equally as important as your training for long-term longevity and well-being.
For busy moms, these 11 gym hacks will help to integrate exercise and wellness into your busy schedule without stress, guilt or sacrifice. These approaches prioritize flexibility, ease, and pleasure and are evidence that fitness can feel natural, democratic, and sustainable. When you integrate movement into your life in conscientious ways each day, it helps you, your body, your mind and those you’re in relationship with to establish a quality of life that’s healthier and happier. So you see, the little bits here and there do really add up over time. By placing yourself on a level playing field with your family, you demonstrate self-care, steadiness and equilibrium — a heritage that can last through the generations.
