Mum guilt and the juggle of mum life

It’s always there, lingering in the back of every mother's mind—“mum guilt.”

Most days, we feel it: the judgment we perceive as mums and as parents, the guilt for putting ourselves first, and the negative self-talk that creeps in.

We all experience the pressure:

• Trying to keep as many balls in the air as possible
• Racing around day after day
• Meeting everyone else’s needs: school drop-offs, pick-ups, after-school activities—the list goes on.

Why I Make Time for the Gym

Despite the chaos, there’s one thing I do for myself every day:

I make the time to go to the gym and train.

That hour is my time to be selfish.

Don't get me wrong—I still feel guilty.

Sometimes I have to:

• Wake my children early
• Rush them out the door
  —just to make it to class on time.

But the other option would be to put myself last.

And honestly—why should I?

I Need This—For Me and for Them

It's simple:

• I need it for my sanity.
• I need to surround myself with others who are just like me—sometimes struggling with similar situations.

I’ve often heard comments like:

"You take the kids to the gym at 7am?"
"You have to wake them up just to go to the gym?"

And my answer is always: YES, I do.

Why? Because if I didn’t:

• My needs, my health, my fitness, my goals would be pushed further and further down the endless list of things I’m trying to squeeze into a day.
  (FYI: School days are short!)

A Better Version of Myself

I am a better version of myself when I spend one hour a day focusing on me.

And honestly—who doesn’t want to be a better version of themselves?

Taking that time doesn’t make me a bad mum.

It makes me a happier, healthier, stronger mum—and that’s something my children benefit from too.