Disclosure: Megan was sent a Garmin Vivofit to review from Verizon Wireless. It will be returned upon her review completion. As always, all opinions are her own.
You’ve signed up for your next runDisney race. You’ve entered your training plan into your calendar. You are ready to tackle the training! Then it hits you – how are you supposed to balance a job and training?
Many runners also have full-time jobs, taking up a large portion of their time. It can be at an office, one that requires travel or taking care of your little ones at home. No matter what that job is, it can be tough to balance the rigors of a job and a training plan. Here are a few tips to help you balance both without burning the candle at both ends!
Stay active at work. While some people are fortunate to have jobs that keep them active or on their feet all day, many may be “stuck” to a desk. A great way to help your training is to try to get a certain number of steps in during the work day. A fitness tracker like a Garmin Vivofit allows you to not only hit a goal amount of steps, but it even reminds you to get up and move! (Add in your run before or after work and the number of steps will soar!)
Schedule in your run. When you have an appointment or meeting on your calendar, you make sure you don’t miss it. Do the same with your training plan! Add it as an appointment on your calendar, which will allow you to schedule the rest of your day around your run. Treating it like another appointment makes you less likely to skip it!
Be flexible. Sometimes life or work can get in the way, and that is okay! A missed run now and then will not derail your training plan. On the days where that run just isn’t going to happen, don’t fret. However, do try to get a little activity in – whether it’s walking around while on the phone or doing a little strength training in your hotel room.
Find a workout buddy at work. Having someone who can hold you accountable is a great way to keep the motivation going during your training cycle! Use a fitness tracker like the Vivofit to encourage one another to get in a certain number of steps or miles each day. You can even run together during lunch or before/after work, a great way to relieve the stress of the day!
Get in a good night’s sleep. When trying to balance work and training, it’s easy to cut back on sleep in order to get everything done each day. Don’t forget that sleep is just as important! The Vivofit tracks your sleep each night, not only giving you the amount you slept, but also your movement patterns throughout the night. Take a good look at the data and make sure you are getting enough sleep to power you through the work day and training plan!
No matter what race you are training for, it is possible to find a balance with work and training! Throughout the training cycle, finding times to add in a little extra activity, scheduling your runs and being flexible will allow you to find the balance you need!
Throughout these blog posts, we will cover all aspects of training from our own personal experience. Please note that we are not medical doctors, personal trainers, registered dietitians or in any way qualified to give individualized recommendations. If you have something you would like us to address, please send an email to info@runnersguidetowdw.com!
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