One thing that can kind of be difficult when you’re running your own business is staying active when it comes to fitness.  Here’s why:

Your work can kind of consume you.  You don’t have a normal 9-5 job like most people; if you’re starting your own company, you’re basically working all the time.  Even if you’re not actually working, your life still revolves around things you need to do.  Maybe you’re watching TV in a little bit of relaxing time and you get a “new email” alert on your smartphone at 8pm.  You check it really quick and see that it’s an email from someone you’re working with, and it’s pretty urgent and you need to reply right away.  Even though it’s already the evening, business calls.  Back to work!

That’s just one example, but it’s pretty analogous to what happens on a regular basis.

As such, it’s hard to make room for fitness, especially if you’re the type who likes to go to the gym or go for a run for an hour or more.

For me personally, it has been a challenge to keep it up.  Recently I’ve decided that running helps keep me feeling better and keeps me more alert, and I perform better, so it’s something that I’m going to make time to do even if I have to move some other things around.  I used to be very active but since going into business for myself I’ve kind of let it fall by the wayside.  Not wanting to fall into any bad habits, I recently started running again last week.  I discovered that I needed some new running shoes, too, and being that most of my money right now is going into my business, I was lucky to find a site here http://www.getthelabel.com/fcp/categorylist/promo/trainers-sale with free international delivery (lucky for me since I live in California!).  On that starting your own business means being super frugal, but that’s another topic for another post!

So it’s one of those things that I kind had to take a stand and say look, I know that work is very important to me, but I’m probably going to go crazy if I don’t get my exercise in.  It makes me feel better, it makes me more alert and energetic, and it gives me a chance to take my mind off of stuff, even if it’s only for 30-60 minutes, and kind of unwind for a bit before I have to come back and get back to business for the rest of the day.

And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going for a run!