If any of those – very enjoyable interruptions – happen, I’ve learned it’s fine to just bust out a quick 10-minute set or cut out a session. Skipping one or two workouts or having the odd occasion where I give less than-100% results in consequences of exactly… nothing. No one dies. I don’t lose the gains I’ve made. Muscle mass built up over three years doesn’t suddenly wither overnight, leaving me rubber-limbed and bereft. I simply pick up the baton again when I’m next ready and able.

Applying this rationale to my work has revolutionised my attitude towards it. I don’t have to exist within a binary of either being absolutely perfect or abandoning something in a fit of despair. If a project isn’t coming together the way I want, I switch my attention to something else or take a break and then return to it when I feel able. Writing an article, I don’t have to kick off with a lede that can win a Pulitzer – instead, I can start from anywhere I please, carve it up into digestible portions of work and tackle steadily, rather than in one mad rush.

I used to not be able to bear looking at my finished articles because I was worried about what I’d find but exercise has taught me to be thorough, to practice in order to sharpen form. It’s not a failing to find things to improve upon; nailing the basics and pushing yourself is how you get stronger, can lift heavier weights, can write weightier things.

Time management, always a sticky one for me, has become exponentially easier. Now I get how to factor in hours and have ceased previous bleating excuses. If I’m able to clear diary space for exercise, I can do it for other pressing engagements and I can be on time for them. I have finite hours and have learned to recognise what I want to prioritise doing with them, rather than spreading myself too thin. Learning how to construct a day around a routine keeps me grounded too, makes me feel driven and focused.

“How a 20 minute workout gave me the career boost I needed”