“I Don’t Have the Same 24 Hours As You” — A Real Talk Guide to Training as a Busy Mum

There’s a lot of talk about “me for me” right now.

Self-care. Prioritising yourself. Doing it for you.

And that’s great — in theory.

But it’s easy to do “you for you” when it’s just you.

When you’re not the one trying to get a toddler out the door with socks on, managing the chaos of daycare drop-offs, squeezing an entire workday into six hours, and then coming home to cook, clean, parent, and somehow still function.

I recently went back to part-time work — six hours a day, Monday to Friday.

Sounds manageable, right?

But when you zoom out and add everything else into the picture — it’s a lot.

A Look at the Day

Here’s how it usually goes:

• Early morning: in-person PT client

• Next: Get my kiddo ready for daycare, complete with the unpredictable rollercoaster of toddler emotions

• Then: Off to work — 6 hours of focus, trying to jam in 8 hours of productivity

• After work: Daycare pickup, more emotions (her's and mine), decompressing

• Evening: Dinner, bath time, brushing teeth, reading a pile of storybooks

• Then: Dishes, emails, study… and somewhere in there, I’m supposed to look after my health & fitness goals?

By the time I sit down? I’m cooked.

So when do I train?

It comes down to two options:

Early mornings or late nights.

And let’s be honest — neither one feels easy, and neither one feels fair.

Why “Just Fit It In” Doesn’t Work

The idea that we all have the same 24 hours?

It ignores the load that women — especially mothers — carry.

We’re not just managing time. We’re managing people. Emotions. Logistics. Mental lists that never end.

And while movement is a form of self-care, sometimes it feels like just another thing we have to do.

That’s where I had to get honest with myself:

If I was going to keep training, it had to fit into this season. Not the one I was in last year.

So I Train in the Morning — and Make It Count

Late nights just didn't happen, there was just no mental bandwidth left for training.

Early mornings are hard, but they’re consistent.

So I train before the world is fully awake. Not because I want a gold star, but because it’s the only time that’s truly mine.

But that also means every workout has to count.

No fluff. No wasted movements. No redundancies.

Here’s how I make training work when life is this full:

My Real-World Training Strategy

1. Prioritise the big stuff

Compound lifts. Movement patterns that give me the biggest return.

If I only have time for 3 movements, they’re going to matter.

Examples:

• Squats

• Deadlifts or RDLs

• DB incline bench press

• Bent-over rows

2. Cut the fluff

No time for “just in case” exercises. I’m not here to entertain myself — I’m here to train.

Fluff to cut:

• Three variations of curls

• Extended foam rolling instead of warming up with movement

• 10 minutes trying to choose a playlist (we’ve all done it)

3. Superset where possible

Efficiency matters. If I’m resting one muscle group, I’m working another.

Example Supersets:

• Squats + DB incline bench press

• Push-ups + core

• RDLs + lateral raises

4. Keep it short and sharp

30–40 minutes. Max.

More is not better. Better is better.

Quick session structure:

• Warm-up (5 min movement prep)

• 3–4 strength sets (focused, no fluff)

• Optional finisher (5–7 min EMOM, AMRAP or walk cooldown)

• Done.

5. Choose consistency over chaos

I’d rather train 3–4 times a week and feel good than aim for 6 and burn out by Wednesday.

Example schedule:

• Monday: Full Body Strength

• Wednesday: Upper Body + Core

• Friday: Lower Body + Conditioning

• Optional: weekend walk or stretch

  No pressure to be perfect. Just enough structure to keep you moving.

Let’s Talk About the Mum Guilt

Because this doesn’t just live in the gym.

There’s the guilt of leaving your kid at daycare when they’re begging you not to go.

The guilt of working, even though you want to be home more.

And then — the kicker — the guilt of taking more time away from them to go train.

It’s brutal.

You sit in your car after work, knowing you should move… but your child just had a hard drop-off that morning, and you feel like a selfish person for even considering a workout.

But here’s what I remind myself, and maybe you need to hear it too:

You’re not choosing yourself instead of your family.

You’re choosing to take care of yourself so you can keep showing up for them.

And honestly? Our kids don’t need a version of us that’s depleted and resentful.

They need the version that’s grounded, strong, and has something left to give.

Training gives me that.

For the Mums Feeling Stretched Thin

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re doing your best — and you’re carrying more than most people can see.

Here are some reminders that have helped me:

• Your training doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be possible.

• You don’t need more discipline. You need strategies that work with your life, not against it.

• Rest is productive. Some days your best move is skipping the gym and going to bed early. That’s not quitting. That’s smart.

• Let go of the comparison. You’re not training like someone with a nanny, meal prep service, and unlimited childcare — and you shouldn’t try to.

• Your health matters too. It doesn’t need to come last on the list.

Final Thought

Some seasons feel like survival. This might be one of them.

But even in the chaos, you’re allowed to carve out space for you — not because you’re selfish, but because you’re human.

You’re not weak. You’re not failing. You’re just living in a chapter that’s full.

And still — you’re showing up.

One early morning workout at a time.

One short session that reminds you who you are outside of work and parenting.

One deep breath when everything feels like too much.

That counts.

Strong coffee. Stronger mind. Training for the season you’re in.

– Ane