So…now what

Mercy sakes alive, if I had a dollar for every time someone’s asked me that question over the past few weeks.

Now what? 

I’ve been wrestling with that same question too. And to be honest, I’m not quite sure what that “what” is yet.

My original plan was to finish the triathlon, quit my gym membership, and dive right back into class hopping. But what is it they say about the best laid plans? Oh right…

I’ve since started a new job with a schedule that constantly shifts and requires I be on call past the normal 9 – 5. I’m enjoying the work very much and know that, professionally, I am in the right place.

But personally, I am still struggling to find some sort of manageable work-life balance. I think we’ve all been there at some point, and it is a tough nut to crack. I view it as a challenge that just needs a little extra elbow grease to figure out. And until I do, I’m trying to be gentle with myself and patient with the process. But full disclosure guys: this is not something that comes naturally.

This new schedule is also not the most conducive to neatly planning my week’s workouts. Things shift and change so frequently that I’m often fitting in fitness at the last minute, wherever and whenever I can. A lot of times, this means I’m plugging into an online workout first thing in the morning or late at night. Or heading over to the gym when a quiet moment surfaces.

For example, just this morning I woke up extra early to do a quick 15 minute circuit workout in my apartment before jumping into emails and the day’s projects. I created it off the top of my head and scratched it down on a scrap piece of paper. I didn’t wear fancy workout clothes. In fact, I didn’t even wear shoes. I played really loud 90s pop music. I sweated like a pig. It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t pretty. But it got the job done.

I met with another fitness blogger this week and, in a moment of terrible self-pity, sniffled into my salad, “I feel like I have nothing to write about any more. Who wants to hear about my struggles with work-life balance and frenzied attempts to squeeze fitness into my day. It’s not exciting, sexy stuff.” But you know what? She offered the sage advice that maybe it’s worth being honest and sharing this with you all anyway. That maybe, just maybe, there are readers who identify with what I’m going through and want to follow along.

So when I’m asked the question, “so, now what, fit crasher?” I take a deep breath, pause, and reply that the plan at the moment is to just do what I can. Simple as that.

Do what I can to find new and creative ways to keep fitness a consistent part of my routine. Do what I can to keep healthy and strong. Do what I can to eat clean, nutritious meals even when time is tight. Do what I can do keep it simple, keep it fun, and…most importantly…keep it up.

I’m excited to candidly share this crazy journey with you. As always, you can find me frequently posting on Instagram and Twitter, and I’ll try to be here at least once a week with updates, new fitness hacks, routines I’m trying, and classes I’m loving. And if I don’t post that week, you’ll know that I’m at the office making a valiant attempt to tame my inbox.

Finally, I know I’m not the first gal to struggle with finding fitness in a crazy work-life situation, so I’d love it if you could help a sister out with some of your favorite tips + tricks. What works for you? What have you learned? What would be helpful for me to share? I’m all ears!