Balancing Training With a Newborn
This week, I’m back to work after eight weeks off for paternity leave. Our second son was born at the end of August, and the eight weeks have flown by in what feels like a few days. I’m writing this to share the strategies I used to stay consistent with training while at home with a newborn and an almost three-year-old.
I’ll also cover lessons on showing up fully for yourself and your family, and a look ahead at how my schedule changes once again now that I’m back at work. If you’re a parent looking at how to balance priorities while fitting training into daily life, this one is for you.
Strategy #1 – Morning Window is Crucial – Feed, Train, Dad Duty
My wife and I are lucky the newborn is a great sleeper so far. Most nights he sleeps from 9:30 to 4-5 am, then goes back down until 7:30 am. The 4-5 am window is my opportunity to get a head start on the day. Here’s how it goes down:
· I get up with the baby at 4/5 am and feed him, letting my wife get extra sleep. As soon as he’s done eating I’m straight into training, goal is to be done by 7 am
· After training its straight to grabbing the toddler, who is up at 7 am consistently. We start breakfast and playtime together until mom and baby get up. This 1:1 time with him in the morning was special to me, and is what I will remember most from the time off
This system helped me hit all my training days. Over the eight weeks the only workouts I missed were the few days in the hospital for delivery. Otherwise, I trained six days a week like clockwork.
A tip for executing the morning window: constant communication. This doesn’t mean asking permission but always update your spouse on your schedule so you can best fit it in to meet everyone’s needs during a full day. “Morning window looks like the best option for me tomorrow, I can shift it if there’s anything I can help with to get you more sleep”. This communicates the training will get done, but you’re flexible to fit in it in wherever needed so it doesn’t come at the expense of your spouse or kids’ schedules.
Another tip: prep your gear and fuel the night before. Mix bottles, pack bags, layout clothes, etc. Less friction, more momentum. Every minute counts.
Strategy #2 – The Art of the Instant Switch – Workout Mode to Dad Mode
Tight windows mean I am often switching from workouts to dad mode in a split second. No time to sit for a coffee break, on to the next task. Examples:
· Getting home from a run, drenched in sweat. I go straight to the laundry room to throw on dry clothes, then run to grab the toddler who just sat up in bed. No shower for me until later
· I’m not always able to make it home before everyone is awake (if feeding baby takes longer), which usually happens on a swim day. I’ll walk into a fully awake house and immediately need to jump into parenting mode. Baby is crying in mom’s arms on the couch, toddler is mid-meltdown over the wrong breakfast choice. The second I set my keys down I’m fixing breakfast, getting the baby a new diaper, and grabbing mom anything she needs. All within two minutes of walking in the door.
These transition moments are crucial. I need to nail them for my own sake so I can continue to fit training in and need to nail them to keep peace in the house for everyone depending on me. The skill that gets sharpened is switching mindsets on a dime. Whether I’m riding high or just got wrecked from a workout, I need to be the same husband and dad no matter what. It takes work to develop the mindset flip to immediately be present and patient.
It’s not always seamless. Some mornings I’m exhausted, both physically and mentally, from a workout. But that doesn’t matter to everyone in the house that needs me. The solution is to think in terms of gratitude: “I got my workout done and the rest of the day will be spent with family”. That reframe snaps me right back into dad mode to tackle what’s next. Showing up for yourself and family isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence.
Looking Ahead: Back to Work and Another New Schedule
Being back to work brings another new variable to balance. Morning windows become tighter and no more all-day flexibility. However, the lessons will stay the same: take advantage of open windows, quick transitions both physical and mental, and constant communication to plan the day.
For new parents, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of new schedules and let things fall by the wayside.
Don’t give up. Trust yourself.
These eight weeks reminded me being a new parent amplifies everything: joy, fatigue, and purpose. As a dad, it’s crucial to control your mindset to balance all of these and keep showing up for those that rely on you, exhausted or not.