Work-Life Balance: How Gym Owners Can Stay Fit and Focused
You and I are in the business of transformation. We help people push through plateaus, overcome challenges, and build routines that change their lives. Yet, here we are, struggling to follow the very advice we dish out. Why? Because knowing what to do and doing it are two very different things.
We understand the science behind it all. We’ve seen the results in our clients—consistency leads to progress, and progress leads to success. So, why is it that, despite living in a gym, owning the gym, we find it hard to make time for our own workouts?
It’s not about time, is it? You and I both know that time is an excuse. The real issue runs deeper. It’s the tension between being the leader and being human.
The Tension of Leadership
As leaders, we feel this strange pull to be everything to everyone. We’re there for our clients, our staff, and our community. We lead with energy, inspire with knowledge, and hustle hard to keep the business moving. But what happens when that hustle becomes an excuse for not taking care of ourselves?
There’s a trap here—a familiar one. The “I'll just get to it later” trap. The “One more email, then I’ll work out” trap. We rationalize, we postpone, we deprioritize the one thing that makes all the other things possible: our own health.
It's ironic, isn't it? We preach balance and discipline, but when it comes to our own routine, balance becomes this elusive idea, always just out of reach. We convince ourselves that the business comes first. But does it? Really?
What We Ignore When We Skip Our Own Workouts
Here’s the thing—when we skip our workouts, it’s not just the missed session that costs us. It’s the long-term erosion of our capacity to lead effectively. When we move, we think better. We lead with more clarity. We make sharper decisions. Skipping the workout is like skipping out on an investment in ourselves, and as leaders, we are the greatest asset to our business.
And sure, we get it. It’s easy to justify—there’s always something more pressing, more urgent. But what’s more urgent than showing up as our best selves, day after day? Because here’s the real cost: the burnout that slowly creeps in, the fatigue that takes its toll, the moments when we’re not fully present with our clients or team.
The Myth of “Later”
Let’s debunk this myth of “later.” Later is just a buffer we create to avoid dealing with the discomfort of the present. You and I are in the fitness industry—we know that the reps we skip today don’t magically happen tomorrow. They’re lost forever. The momentum we lose by pushing our workouts to “later” makes it that much harder to get back on track.
So, how do we fix this? Not with grand promises or sweeping resolutions. That’s not what works. What works is the smallest viable commitment. The tiniest step that makes it impossible to fail.
Consistency Is Our Edge
We tell our clients all the time: “It’s not about intensity, it’s about consistency.” It’s true for them, and it’s true for us. The goal isn’t to crush an hour-long workout every day. The goal is to move, daily, even if it’s just 15 minutes. Because 15 minutes today means 15 minutes tomorrow. And tomorrow leads to a week, a month, a habit.
But here’s the thing. It’s not the perfect workout that changes things. It’s the fact that we showed up. Showing up is a signal to ourselves, a reminder that we’re worth the time. We need to believe in that message again.
The Work We Must Do
Our job as leaders isn’t just to inspire others—it’s to lead ourselves first. To create a culture of care, not just for our clients, but for ourselves. When we prioritize our own fitness, we create the energy, focus, and resilience we need to lead. We can’t give what we don’t have.
The work isn’t glamorous. It’s not always Instagram-worthy. But it’s real, and it’s necessary. It’s getting up a bit earlier, taking that walk, stretching between meetings, putting down the phone and picking up the dumbbells, even if it’s for just 10 minutes. It’s not about making time—it’s about making a choice.
The Real Risk
Here’s the truth: the real risk isn’t the lost time from a workout—it’s the slow erosion of our ability to lead when we don’t prioritize our health. We’ve built our businesses on the idea that fitness is foundational. It’s time we applied that foundation to ourselves again.
It’s not too late. We can still turn this around. Not by waiting for a more convenient time, but by starting with what we have, right now. A quick sweat session between clients. A mindful stretch in the quiet moments before opening the doors.
Showing Up For Us
We’ve got the knowledge, the tools, the experience. But knowledge alone doesn’t change things. What changes things is action—imperfect, messy, small-but-consistent action.
Let’s hold ourselves accountable, not just to our clients, but to ourselves. We can lead by example, not through words, but through what we do. Let’s show up for us—so we can show up better for everyone else.
Brent Gallagher is a husband, father, and founder of Avenu, and dedicated to helping others live their best lives. With a passion for redefining wellness beyond physical appearance, Brent has built a brand that measures the quality of life. Through his coaching and leadership development programs, he empowers high-performing leaders and challenges the fitness industry to prioritize meaningful connections with their clients and teams. When he's not inspiring change, Brent enjoys quality time with his family and cherishes the moments that make his life fulfilling. Interested in having Brent work with your team, speak at your conference, or appear on your podcast, click here.