Episode 154 - How to Stay Active When Life Gets Busy with Tom Meehan

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 

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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.
   
   

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