I’m admitting it.  Right now, I don’t have it all figured out.

It’s week nine of our family’s journey into a multiple-child household…and I kind of feel like my life is hanging on by a thread.  As someone who considers herself extremely organized and highly efficient, I’m struggling.

It’s hard for me to admit this, but since I run an organization dedicated to healthy kids and healthy lifestyles, I wanted to put it out there that sometimes, it’s hard to always set a healthy example for your kids.  And if it’s hard for me, who is fortunate enough to have a supportive husband and steady income, imagine how challenging it could be for those who do not have that luxury.

I’ve always been someone who needs daily exercise to feel normal, happy, and calm.  However, with an infant and toddler in the house, I’m finding that even three days a week is a challenge.  The baby needs to eat between six and eight times a day, my husband and I both work full-time jobs (and then some), and I like to try and make sure he gets the chance to exercise as well. This doesn’t even count spending quality time together (and with those two cuties in the picture, wouldn’t YOU want to rock the mom gig, too?).   Add in sub-zero temperatures and plenty of darkness, and the odds seem quite stacked against us.

So, I’ve devised a coping mechanism that I’m trying out starting this week.  I plan in my workouts for the next two weeks so I can’t avoid them, and they are smack dab in the middle of the typical work day, so I’m assured time to get exercise in while the kids are in school and my husband is at work.   It’s not a perfect plan, as I have to then find hours at night or early in the morning to make up for lost work hours, but I’m hoping it keeps my sanity level manageable so I can be a better mom, wife, and business leader.

How do you make sure to build in time for exercise when you have young children?  I’m all ears, and waiting for your suggestions (accompanied by a large cup of coffee and dark circles under my eyes).