Running into 2024: Striking the Right Balance Between Life, Work and Health

As 2024 approaches, many of us begin thinking about our New Year’s resolutions. I can plead guilty that year after year, I’m always making some sort of commitment to fitness—whether it’s running more, maintaining a more consistent gym routine, or simply drinking less and eating healthier. However, the challenges of balancing work, family and social life consistently take priority over these goals. In this blog, we share insights from the Soul Spaces team, revealing how some of us manage to strike some sort of harmonious balance between work and the various aspects of life that deserve our attention, particularly focusing on health and fitness.

Run, Run, Run!

If like us and your office has been hit with the run-bug, many New Year’s resolutions are going to involve getting those Strava miles in. Whether you’re aiming for a new 5k PB, running your first half marathon, or simply starting the journey, the path to running success is more nuanced than it seems. Here are some considerations to help you in your running goals:

Join a Run Club

London is home to plenty of run clubs, providing an ideal starting point into the world of running—especially if the idea of running being a quite lonely and monotonous activity has held you back. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting your fitness journey, there will be a club for you. Some cater to competitive spirits, while others provide a more social atmosphere. Here are a few that are worth looking into:

• Puresport Run Club: Dubbed as the UK’s best run club by GQ, Puresport offers a well-rounded experience. With weekly runs starting from their different London store locations, they welcome runners of all levels and boast a vibrant social community.
• Track Mafia: Perfect for those aiming to push their limits and achieve PB goals, Track Mafia organises free training meets at Paddington Recreational grounds every Thursday evening. The intensity of the sessions increases progressively each week.
• Founders Running Club: Introduced to London in November, this club is tailored for founders, investors, tech professionals and creators. It provides a fantastic opportunity to network while clocking in your miles.
• Soul Spaces Run Club: Maybe not as great as the clubs above, but if you’re around the Farringdon area, come join us on our casual lunchtime runs. We’re not elite runners but at least we’ve got good chat! 

Sign up for that Race

Finding and sustaining motivation for fitness goals can be challenging, especially with running. The idea of starting in January too, dealing with harsh winds, freezing temperatures and occasional snow, will often hinder people from achieving their New Year’s resolution running goals. I’ve been there – having to practically force myself out for a run but using the smallest weather-related excuses whenever I got the chance.

I discovered that signing up for a race I’ve always wanted to participate in was a game changer. This move injected excitement into my running journey and served as an effective motivator. If you want to spice up your running routine and stay motivated, check out these events. I’ve had fantastic experiences with them and I’m sure you’ll have a great time too:

• RunThrough: Hosting monthly races throughout London, RunThrough provides an excellent entry point to – light-hearted – competitive running. Ideal for all levels and those seeking a welcoming and vibrant running community.

• Maverick Race: For a unique running experience, Maverick Race offers trail running races across the UK. Explore stunning landscapes, try something different and become part of a close-knit trail running community.

• Parkrun: Join hundreds of others on free weekly weekend runs at various local parks with Parkrun. While not a formal competitive race, it’s perfect for official timings and milestone awards – a great way to stay motivated on your running journey. 

No Time For Sports? 

Staying active and involved in sports can be challenging without established communities, especially for newcomers. Coordinating schedules with friends for sports activities often turns into a logistical nightmare, and time, our most valuable resource, becomes a limiting factor among larger responsibilities.

However, it’s crucial to remember the huge benefits of staying active. Engaging in sports and finding activities you love outside of family, work, and social life, contributes positively to both short and long-term well-being. Research studies consistently highlight the positive effects of regular exercise on physical and mental health, as well as overall work-life balance. Those who exercise regularly tend to compartmentalise different aspects of their lives effectively, leading to higher productivity at work, improved focus during family time and an enhanced overall work-life balance.

Within the Soul Spaces team, the passion for sports is diverse, ranging from running and football to basketball, netball and volleyball. We’re all very determined to maintain an active lifestyle. Here are some valuable resources that have helped us stay on top of our sporting passions: 

• Sportas: Ideal to those looking for a casual approach, Sportas welcomes participants of various skill levels. Their app allows you to set your skill level in chosen sports and recommends games organised by other players based on your skill base.
• GO Mammoth: Similar to Sportas, GO Mammoth offers a variety of sports at different levels across the London area. However, It provides a more structured and organised experience, complete with officiating, for those looking for a more competitive approach.
• Meetup: Unlike Sportas and GO Mammoth, Meetup functions more as a social media platform. It’s an excellent way to discover sports and active events tailored more for socialising and networking.

Founders Thoughts: Balancing Family, Business and Health 

Joe, Co-Founder:

Balancing work, life, fitness, and mental health is always tricky and it’s something I have ultimately failed at!

I prefer to look at it more as a flow. Sometimes I give myself more time to focus on myself, fitness and well-being; other times, the kids need me more. At times, the business definitely comes first – in fact, most of the time, the business comes first! I have accepted that I need to have general guidelines and commitments for all these things but flow between them depending on where I am needed the most.

I try not to get too down if I haven’t been able to exercise for a couple of days. On those days, I tend to walk to my meetings, increasing my step count and walking through London, which has a positive effect on both my physical and mental health.

To be more present for my family, I have purposely employed a great team and delegated more responsibilities to them. This empowers them and relieves me of needing to be knee-deep in everything at work. We have tried to shift the culture a little from generalists to specialists. Everyone is now training and developing to do a couple of really impactful things and we have touchpoints every week to see how the balance sheet looks!

I do love exercising and I do think this is key to being focused and proactive in your professional life. I have one PT session a week and always go for one run on the weekend. Then I try to do as much as I can in between these two activities depending on my week. It’s not always balanced, but I try to enjoy the flow as much as I can.

Tomal, Co-Founder:

2023 was particularly difficult, slow market, cost of living and busy household made for a challenging year. I wish I could say I had a healthy wellness focussed year, but the reality is it has been a slog, Monday – Friday is all about the graft, weekends are family time and I squeeze the odd run in every now and then….  Finding a balance is never easy, but you just have to do what you can, when you can!