Writing and keeping fit as a parent

[Itsgettingbetter]

Wasn't sure where else this post could go.

I was wondering how others structure their day in relation to both disciplined writing and exercise?

When I read about successful writers, I find most of them get up before dawn to start writing. This sounds great in theory, getting writing done before distractions set in but in order to wake up at 4am or 5am you need to go to bed at an overly sensible time, which I find difficult as I feel I need 2-3 hours to decompress from my day as a LP. During the school holidays and weekends other things take over. But writing before the day really gets going seems like the ideal solution.

I've also decided to get back into shape but focusing on this it feels like a conflict. Leaving exercise until last thing in the day when I've written, cooked and cleaned up feels like setting myself up to fail. But doing the writing later on means I'm likely to be a lot less productive.

Writing puts me in a good mood, as I feel I've 'fulfilled my purpose' IYSWIM. But I've also struggled with depression and exercise keeps me on the up.

How have others structured their day in order to get both done?

I have one DS, age 11.

During term time things generally tick over nicely and I'm reasonably productive. I cycle 3-4 days per week which helps (although, as I'm nearing mid-life this does not seem to be nearly enough).

It's the school holidays. Half-terms are not so bad but during the long stretch of the summer break that lovely rhythm goes out of the window. It's the lack of structure during the school holidays and a lack of discipline, as well as guilt around leaving DS to entertain himself 'for too long' (he starts with reading and can slip into long periods on screens) while I get on with other things. We live in an inner city, a flat with no garden so until we go out he is shut up indoors without fresh air and much movement.