Working Parents Squeezing It In

sshintaku

MissKJ5 wrote: »

I think if it's important enough, we will find the time. I also work full-time & have a 2.5 year old. Sometimes I do it, and sometimes I don't, but when I don't, it's usually due to my own excuses than actually not having the time. I have a treadmill, so I use that or I like to do Fitness Blender videos which my son absolutely loves to do with me (he asks to workout now, and has his own 2lb weight lol). We also love to get out and go for long walks/wanders on the weekends.
I understand not wanting to get up early to workout (I am not a morning person), but if it's the only feasible option, why not try it for a few days and see if it works for you?
Good luck!

Oh yea! I second Fitness Blender if you haven't already checked it out. You can sort workouts by time allotment, intensity, body part, etc. It's great. If you only have 10-15 minutes, find a short HIIT video or something. Something is always better than nothing.

hubn8147

My husband and I both work full time - he's lucky and works from home. I drive my 3 year old daughter to and from daycare every day. I workout 5x a week, 3x during the week and 2x on the weekends. I get home around 4:30 on week days and immediately do a 30min workout. On the weekends, I get up around 6:30am and get my 30minutes in before my kiddo wakes up. I also go on walks on my breaks at work.

Jdacruz5588

My husband goes to the gym from 5 to 6 and I go from 6-7, give or take the travel time to the gym. We both work full time jobs and we have an almost 5 year old and an 18 month old. At the end of the day its packing lunches, getting clothes ready for tomorrow, dinner, baths, and bed for everyone. It leaves little time in between for much else but we always have the weekends. If I left the workout for after work it would'nt happen.

Theoldguy1

yirara wrote: »

noel2fit wrote: »

How are you full-time working primary parents doing it? Share your secrets!

I'm working 40 hours/ week, 30 minute commute each way, and have an almost 3-year-old. At 7am I'm up and I get both of us dressed and ready in the morning along with packing 3 lunches/bags. At night I get home around 5:30pm and I'm cooking a meal daily, have 1 hour down time after dinner that includes toddler, then doing bath/bedtime, then shower and bed for me. I'm sleeping 7-8 hours (still interrupted nightly by the kiddo crying).

Where would you squeeze in a daily work out? 5/6am before everyone is up and lose a little sleep? Workout on lunch break but how to shower and when to eat lunch? Workout during evening downtime with the kiddo underfoot? At 830-9 after bedtime? Working out seems to need to include time for showering after...

Tell me how you're taking on the lion's share of childcare with little kids, doing a full day job, and working out daily. I know it's possible. I know people are doing it. I want to join the club, but thus far all of my plans have failed the test of time.

Share what's working for you, especially if it's unconventional or inventive!

I'm trying to make sense of your numbers...
17:30: get home

(7-8hrs of sleep)

07:00 get up.

So you're getting to bed at around 23:00? That's 5.5 hours inbetween.
1hr downtime = 4.5h left
1hr bath and getting kid to bed? 3.5h left

If this was me then I'd cook a meal with fresh ingredients in 30 minutes, 30 minutes for eating = 2.5hr left.
Shower, go to bed 30 minutes max = 2 hrs left
Well ok, if I really feel like it a bit of tidying up another 30 minutes, but I realized many years ago that I I value my free time over a sparkling clean and tidy flat. Thus it's all a matter of priorities, and having not too much stuff around so that a full clean only takes an hour or so.

Yep, I wasn't quite seeing how the time added up either.

When we had small kids around there was virtually no adult screen time. For the OP, take a look at how much free time you're spending in front of a screen. Betting you can find some exercise time.

smal48

Can you take the dog out for a run once you’ve got toddler to bed? Then you’re not using any extra time as dog needs a walk anyway?

threeowls51

Im a single parent and my kids are 12, 8 and 2. I work full time, leave the house around 7 am and get home around 6 and usually workout for 25 mins a day 5-6 days a week. I work out at home with kettlebells. I usually squeeze it in right after dinner and most nights i have at least one kid in the room with me either working out along with me or just chatting 😂 We also do family walks at least 4 nights week. Where there's a will theres a way!

pearshapedmum

I have a 9 year old. My preference would be to exercise in the morning, but that doesn't fit. I'm up at 6 to do the lunch boxes and school prep, I shower then get little one up and ready, drop off at pre school childcare, work full time, collect from childminder, either drive 40 to daughter's gymnastics, watch for 2 hrs then home for 8. 15. After tidy up time, I'm too tired to do anything. On other days we are home around 5, cook dinner and tidy up, sort out the pets for an hour and a bit of housework. If partner is home from work in time then go to gym for 8 after I get daughter to bed. Weekends are better for me and at 8pm I would much rather sit in front of the TV 😱roll on child independence!!!!

jo_nz

I am working part-time, studying full time, and have two school-aged kids who have a few interests/activities that we also juggle.

It's busy, but it works for us at the moment.

Right now, I get up early for my workout so I can be back home before DH has to leave for work - it's generally just taking the dog out for a run. I am not naturally a morning person, but it's the best I can manage at the moment, and if I don't get it out of the way early, I tend to miss out in all the other busy-ness.

I work and do some study while the kids are at school, then we go to activities or do chores after school, and while I am waiting at activities, I will do any readings or watch videos for my course. (though it's a shame the pool doesn't have a lane for parents like our summer club does)

In the weekend I will take them out with me to the library so I can study, or out to parks/walking tracks so we can hang out together while I take photos (I'm studying photography).

MVY_

I have a little baby who is six months and four other kids. I work full time and go to school full time. I wake up at 4:30 to go work out. Be home around 5:30-5:50. Get the kids ready for school, get myself ready for work. I'm at work at 7 am. Full day schedule. I sacrificed sleep to be healthy.