Part of living an Ambitious Life is being healthy enough to enjoy it. What’s the point of having a great company and finally making some money if you can’t enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
We asked 15 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council how they find time to fit in a workout or fitness routine while still running their company.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
Here’s what they had to say…
How do you find time to fit in a workout or fitness routine while still running your company?
1. Find a Workout Partner
A fitness routine can be tough as an entrepreneur because you work a lot of hours and deal with unpredictable demands. But I’ve found that it’s MUCH easier when I’ve already agreed in advance to meet a friend at the gym at certain times. It goes in my calendar like any other appointment. Ultimately, having a workout partner gives you accountability, which makes a big difference. – Jesse Lear, V.I.P. Waste Services, LLC
2. Join and Pay for a League Sport
The problem with a gym, for me, is that there isn’t a set time to show up and nobody to give me grief if I miss it. Joining a league, on the other hand, always has a set time. If you schedule over it, you can’t just “go later.” Plus, by skipping you’re letting your teammates down. I play in a soccer league three to four times a week. It may not be as gentle on the body as I’d like, but it keeps me frequently active. – Tarek Pertew, Uncubed
3. Think of Exercise as a Client
I make exercise into a daily appointment as though it was one of my clients. I would never cancel a meeting with a client unless it were an emergency, so this ensures I don’t flake out on fitness. It goes on my calendar as a commitment I cannot break. Typically, I make it the first thing early in the morning to ensure that no other conflicts occur, like a meeting running over. – Drew Hendricks, Buttercup
4. Start the Day With a Workout
While it can be challenging to adapt your schedule to fit in a workout, once you get passed that initial hump, it can be an incredible difference-maker in your daily routine. Not one to be an early riser in my younger years, I’ve worked hard to adopt an early morning workout at least four times a week. It has paid off huge, not only personally, but professionally as well! – Zachary Burkes, Predictable Profits
5. Make It a Priority
Depending on where you live and the nature of your commute, you can fit in your daily workout into your traveling time. Biking, walking and parking further away can all work! For those who work near their home (or in their home), it’s the mindset that makes all the difference. Make it a priority and it will happen. – Elliot Bohm, Cardcash.com
6. Change Your Mindset
Once you begin to think of exercise as a way to reset your mind and feel good so that you can tackle the things you need to get done (not just a way to burn off that cheeseburger or get a six pack) you’ll realize that you don’t always need to fit in an hour workout. Sometimes a 15-minute workout (or even a seven-minute routine) can be just as effective. The 7 Minute Workout” app is great for this. – Sean Kelly, SnackNation
7. Get Addicted
You need to look at fitness the same way you look at your business. When you do something you love, it’s easy. I have no problem going into the office early or staying late, because I truly love what I do. As soon as I took my health as serious as I did my business, I became addicted to working out. It’s part of my daily schedule, part of the big picture. Embrace it like you embrace your business. –Jonathan Long, Market Domination Media
8. Take Advantage of Mobility
It’s never been easier to do business from mobile, so you should take advantage of that to minimize the idea of time constraints. You CAN hit the gym while coordinating your team, awaiting calls from a client or even going over figures. Work and life are very easy to blend into everything now, for better or for worse. – Adam Steele, The Magistrate
9. Vary It Up
Here in LA, we’re lucky enough to be able to surf before work or go on a run in the beautiful weather. But sometimes my schedule is too packed for a full workout, so I do pushups with teammates in the office. We have a #fitness channel on Slack that we use to announce when we’re doing pushups. Make fitness a priority because you know it’s important, and make it fun so you keep doing it. – Nanxi Liu, Enplug
10. Create a Routine That Makes You Feel Happy
There’s nothing worse than hitting the gym when you’re not in the mood. I’ve structured my day for brain work (read: no email) in the early mornings from the comfort of my home, then walk to the gym for a workout/shower, then head into the office excited to stay as long as I please with nothing to dread or make excuses for later. I also treated myself to the executive membership (free bananas). – Heather McGough, Lean Startup Company
11. Work Out with Clients and Entreprenuers
I work out every day with my clients and other friends who are entrepreneurs. We meet at 6:30 a.m. It’s a great way to talk about business and get a workout in at the same time. Having a set time also means you have no option to cancel, after all you can’t bail on a meeting with your customer! – Brandon Stapper, 858 Graphics
12. Use It as a Break
It’s so easy to fall out of the habit of exercising when you’re running or growing a business. It’s a huge mistake. I always look to my fitness routine as something that will give me a break from the grind of work. Usually that’s going out for a run or to the gym after I’ve been productive for a few hours. When the weather’s good or I’m traveling somewhere nice, I always try to fit in some golf. –Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC
13. Invest in a Membership
Even though I’ve had good intentions about going after work, client deadlines change and I end up working late. Working out early is the only way to avoid a change in priorities by the end of the day. I’ve found paying for a membership and going somewhere also motivates me to workout; it seems cheaper per use the more I go and I don’t get distracted like I do if I work out at home. – Angela Harless, AcrobatAnt
14. Make a Standing Appointment
I schedule my workouts like I would any important meeting and plan around it. It’s essential for being productive. It’s also a pretty good way to blow off steam (whenever that’s necessary). – Jake Stutzman, Elevate
15. Do One Active Thing Every Day
It doesn’t matter if it’s soccer, a yoga class, hockey, a long walk with the dogs, or the 7-minute workout app. I just make sure I do one physical activity every day. It’s crazy how much the rest follows. – Mickey Meyer, JASH
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