--- title: Episode 154 - How to Stay Active When Life Gets Busy with Tom Meehan description: Dave and Richard offer real business advice from real entrepreneurs. image: https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/Episode%20154_Landscape.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-154-how-to-stay-active-when-life-gets-busy-with-tom-mehan#main-content) [![sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png?width=800&height=353&name=sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png) ![sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png?width=800&height=353&name=sme-growth-wellmeadow-podcast-logo-white.png)](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com) [LET'S TALK](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/podcast-guest) - [Home](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com) - [Episodes](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes) ###### 4 min read # Episode 154 - How to Stay Active When Life Gets Busy with Tom Meehan By: [Richard Buckle](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/author/richard-buckle) on Jan 12, 2026, 11:02:37 AM [The SME Growth Podcast](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/tag/the-sme-growth-podcast) ![Featured Image](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/Episode%20154_Landscape.png) In this episode, we discuss why so many business leaders start January with good intentions around fitness, only to see those habits slip by February, and what we can do differently to build routines that last. We explore the real motivations behind staying active, how to set goals that genuinely matter, and why sustainable improvements often come from small, well-designed changes rather than drastic New Year overhauls. We’re joined by health and fitness professional **Tom Meehan**, who shares his experience of helping busy people recognise the barriers they’ve built over time, shift their thinking from short-term guilt to long-term wellbeing, and create a routine that supports not just physical health but focus, resilience, and better performance at work. We also discuss the mental benefits of movement, the power of routine, and why activity doesn’t always need to mean the gym. You can listen to the full episode here  ##### Listen to the full episode now [![https://open.spotify.com/episode/0f2ySwQHwCU3vUiZLTCsNT?si=4c7UkeV7QzG9v_Kt6gIRaw](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-spotify.png?width=238&height=128&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-spotify.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/7CGj5aUBcOwY3rqd5Ud1FJ)[![https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sme-growth-podcast-by-wellmeadow/id1654715808](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-apple.png?width=221&height=119&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-apple.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sme-growth-podcast-by-wellmeadow/id1654715808)[![https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-youtube.png?width=228&height=123&name=sme-growth-podcast-home-icons-youtube.png) ](https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast) #### Key Topics Discussed: - How to identify your true “why” for exercising, and why it rarely works if it’s simply about losing a few festive pounds. - The difference between activity and exercise, and why light, regular movement can be just as valuable as structured training. - Why business leaders should treat health habits with the same priority as meetings, emails, and commercial goals. - How carving out “new pockets of time” (like early mornings or lunchtime walks) helps overcome the classic barrier of being “too busy”. - The role of community, accountability, and doing activity with others, and why it transforms motivation. - How fitness and cognitive performance are closely linked, with benefits for clarity, productivity, and decision-making. - Practical ideas for building routine: habit stacking, varying intensity, adapting training around injuries, and making it sustainable. #### Who Is This Episode For: This conversation is ideal for **business owners, SME leaders, managers, and anyone juggling a demanding role while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle**. If you struggle to find time to exercise, feel guilty prioritising yourself, or want practical ways to build sustainable habits that improve both wellbeing and work performance, this episode will resonate.   #### Quotes to Remember: *“I wanted to know that if I set myself a target, I can achieve it, that was my why”.* *“We’ve got to treat our exercise much the same as any important meeting, it has a reason, an end goal, and a return”.* *“Breaking down the barriers you’ve previously had is far more effective than trying to repeat what you did last year”.*   #### Actionable Takeaways: 1. **Define a meaningful “why”: **something deeper than weight loss, such as energy, wellbeing, or proving you can stick to a commitment. 2. **Create structured pockets of time** in your diary and treat them as immovable appointments. 3. **Start with activity, not the gym:** a brisk walk, mobility work, or simple bodyweight movements can deliver real benefits. 4. **Vary your routine** by adjusting intensity, duration, or adding small challenges to keep it engaging. 5. **Use community for accountability:** join a class, a group, or simply exercise with colleagues/friends. 6. **Adapt, don’t abandon:** if you’re injured, tired, or busy, switch to something lighter instead of stopping entirely. 7. **Link exercise to mental performance:** notice how clarity, focus, and productivity improve after movement, and use this as motivation. 🤳 Like & Follow/Subscribe for weekly episodes on growth, marketing, and making smart business decisions. Got feedback or questions? Let us know in the comments – we read them all!  --- 🎧 Available on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | YouTube 📨 For enquiries or speaking requests: contact@wellmeadow.co.uk Share your thoughts and business challenges in the comments section of our community page: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast/community](https://www.youtube.com/@TheSMEGrowthPodcast/community) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ## [Episode 168 - The Worker Protection Act: What Employers Need To Know with Andrea Miller](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-168-the-worker-protection-act-what-employers-need-to-know-with-andrea-miller) In this episode, we discuss a topic that many business owners assume is already well understood,... ## [Episode 153 - How Will The Workplace Look In 2026?](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-153-how-will-the-workplace-look-in-2026) Over the past year, we’ve been making bold predictions about how technology, work and leadership... ## [Episode 174 - The Wisdom Economy: Why Experience Matters More Than Ever](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-174-the-wisdom-economy-why-experience-matters-more-than-ever) In this episode, we explore a question that is becoming increasingly important for business owners... ##### Who we are Who we are Dave Parry and Rich Buckle are founders/directors of Wellmeadow.  Having chaired over 3,000 board meetings, and worked with over 100+ companies, they wanted to share their knowledge with a wider audience. The SME Growth Podcast is a vehicle to share insights and practical tips with people working at all levels of SME businesses. ##### Featured Podcast Featured Podcast ###### [Episode 184 - The New Rules of Customer Experience in the Age of AI](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-184-the-new-rules-of-customer-experience-in-the-age-of-ai) Customer experience doesn't end when a sale is made, in many ways, that's where the real... ##### Contact us Contact us #### **Email:** [contact@wellmeadow.co.uk](mailto:contact@wellmeadow.co.uk) #### **Tel:** 01743 367671 #### **Visit Us:** Unit 2 Nexus, Roushill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1PT [![by-wellmeadow-footer](https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hs-fs/hubfs/by-wellmeadow-footer.png?width=250&height=35&name=by-wellmeadow-footer.png)](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/) - [Cookie Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/cookies) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/privacy) - [Acceptable Use Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/acceptable-use) - [Terms of Use Policy](https://www.wellmeadow.co.uk/terms-of-website-use) © 2026 Wellmeadow Limited ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Richard Buckle", "url" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/author/richard-buckle" }, "dateModified" : "2026-01-12T11:02:37.364Z", "datePublished" : "2026-01-12T11:02:37.000Z", "headline" : "Episode 154 - How to Stay Active When Life Gets Busy with Tom Meehan", "image" : [ "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/Episode%20154_Landscape.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/episodes/episode-154-how-to-stay-active-when-life-gets-busy-with-tom-mehan", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.smegrowthpodcast.com/hubfs/sme-growth-podcast-logo-white.png" }, "name" : "SME Growth Podcast" } } ```