Why You Don’t Need to Wait Until January to Start Looking After Yourself

September often feels like a fresh start.

The summer holidays are over, routines are returning and suddenly there’s a little more structure to the week. It can feel like the perfect time to get back into exercise, restart your physio or finally address something you’ve been putting off.

But there’s often a temptation to think, “I’ll start properly in January.”

Why wait?

You don’t need a perfect routine

Life with children is rarely predictable. There will be school illnesses, work deadlines, cancelled clubs, sleepless nights and weeks where everything feels like hard work.

That doesn’t mean you can’t make progress.

Instead of setting yourself an ambitious routine that relies on having lots of time and energy, think about what is realistically achievable in your current life.

Two short strength sessions a week are better than planning five and doing none. Ten minutes of pelvic floor exercises is better than waiting for an hour of uninterrupted time that never arrives.

Consistency doesn't have to mean doing something every day. It means finding something you can keep coming back to.

Stop thinking all or nothing

One of the biggest barriers I see is the idea that exercise or rehab only “counts” if you've done a proper workout.

It doesn't.

A walk counts. A short run counts. A 15-minute strength session counts. Doing your pelvic floor exercises while the kettle boils counts.

And if you miss a few days - or even a few weeks - you haven't failed. You simply start again.

Try swapping “I need to get back on track” for “What can I realistically do this week?”

Put yourself in the diary

As mums, it can be very easy to put everyone else's needs first.

The children have their appointments. Work gets scheduled. School events go in the diary. But your own health and exercise often get squeezed into whatever time is left.

Instead, try treating your own time as an appointment.

Book the class. Schedule the run. Put your strength session in the diary (the family one!).

Make the physio appointment you've been meaning to book.

You don't need to justify taking that time for yourself.

Looking after your own health isn't selfish - it helps you feel stronger, more capable and better equipped for everything else that life throws at you.

Don't ignore symptoms because you've got used to them

September can also be a good time to check in with your body.

Maybe you've been leaking when you run. Maybe you've noticed a heaviness or bulging sensation. Perhaps sex has become uncomfortable, you've been struggling with pelvic pain or you're worried about your abdominal separation.

These things are common, but common doesn't mean you have to put up with them.

You also don't need to wait until symptoms are severe before seeking help.

A pelvic health physiotherapy assessment can help you understand what's happening, why it might be happening and what you can do about it.

Start small, start now

You don't need a new year, a new fitness plan or a completely free diary to start looking after yourself.

Choose one thing.

Go for the walk you've been putting off. Start your strength exercises. Get back to running gradually. Spend 10 minutes on your rehab. Or book that appointment you've been meaning to make.

You don't need to do everything.

You just need to start somewhere.

September doesn't have to be about doing more. It can be about making a little more space for you.