How to Stay Consistent When Life Gets Busy IN DECEMBER (AND ALWAYS!)

We’re coming into that time of year when everything starts to feel a bit busier. Work ramps up. Kids events pile on. Christmas nights out begin. And before people even realise it, they’re already slipping into the mindset of “sure I’ll get back on track in January.” - Famous last words!

The funny thing is Christmas itself is two days. New Year’s is one. Three days out of thirty one. Yet December often becomes a full month of easing off, slowing down, and losing the routine that was starting to work so well.

It doesn’t have to happen that way. December doesn’t need to be perfect, and you don’t need to train at your usual level. You just need to stay in motion. If you normally train three times a week, do two. If you normally train at eighty percent effort, drop to sixty. And if life is genuinely hectic, get one session done and keep your steps up. It all counts, and it all keeps you connected to the habit.

The big advantage of staying even partly consistent is momentum. It’s always easier to go from a jog to a sprint than from a cold start on the couch. It’s easier to move forward in January when you haven’t spent December drifting backwards. Keeping the lights on helps you hold your strength, avoid piling on half a stone, and stay in a routine that supports you rather than drains you.

Because starting again from zero in January is tough. You feel heavier, slower, and more frustrated. The whole thing feels like a mountain. But starting January having kept some structure in place feels completely different. You’re already moving, already conditioned, and already more in control.

So don’t stop. Just adjust. Make the plan fit your life instead of waiting for life to magically get easier. Shorten sessions. Lower the intensity. Reduce the days. Whatever it takes to stay in the game rather than stepping away from it.

If you’re a member, let this be your reminder that you don’t need perfection to make progress. You just need to keep showing up at whatever level you can manage. If you’re not a member and you want support through December, our 6 Week Kickstart is there to help you navigate the next few weeks with structure, accountability and a plan.

Whatever you do this month, don’t switch off early. Even sixty percent consistency keeps you miles ahead - and your January self will thank you for it.

David “Just keep swimming” Knowles
Gym owner
Coffee drinker
Almost 20 years coaching sport and fitness
Proud dad x5 amazing little humans
Wannabe musician still holding out for my big break