Being in my last semester of graduate school, coupled with my assistantship as a hall director and my practicum at a school an hour away, I have struggled to find time to exercise and stay active. Because of my practicum, I have had to fit a week’s worth of reslife work into a seemingly impossible three days. Not to mention that I also needed to complete and submit my classwork on time. By the end of the day, I was so exhausted that I lacked energy and motivation to go to the gym. Getting up before work to exercise was not an option because I love sleep too much.

Looking at my schedule and my commitments, it seemed impossible to find the time to exercise and be active. As I was trying to fit in all staff, one-on-one, department meetings, conduct meetings, and actual office work into my small time frame, I grew increasingly frustrated that I was less active than in previous terms. To combat this, I started using my meeting times to my advantage.  I incorporated my #SAFit routine into my daily work routine and maximized my time.

Working with a couple of my staff members, I moved our one-on-one meetings from the office to the gym.

In the past, I utilized “fun on ones” by having meetings in a coffee shop or at an event but this was different. The benefits were amazing! Personally, I was happy because I was exercising and being more active. Professionally, I was able to make a better connection with my staff members, as the gym worked to break down barriers and open up conversation. It was also beneficial for my RAs’ mental health because it allowed them to take a small step outside of the “RA Life”.

Upon hearing about my new one-on-one style, a couple of other staff members mentioned that they wanted to change their meetings to this active model. I was happy to hear their desire to be more active because anytime I can sneak out of the office for a bit, I take it. Working with my staff, I was able to find a suitable time and activity–from going on walks to playing disk golf–for each individual that wanted an active meeting.

If possible, I highly recommend changing some of your meetings to active meetings.

It is a great way to accomplish some of your work and tasks without it feeling like work. It has also allowed for a more open conversation and for me to continue my #SAFit journey.

This post is part of our #SAfit series for April. With the constant hustle and bustle of our profession, we can’t forget to put ourselves at the top of our to-do list sometimes. It is essential that we remember to take time for self care and this series highlights how our colleagues work #SAfit into their lifestyles. This can look different for each of us and your journey is your own. For more info, please see Mandi Stewart’s intro post. Be sure to check out the other posts in this series too!