“How a 20 minute workout gave me the career boost I needed”

Writer Moya Lothian-McLean was on a quest to build up her biceps, but she gained much more than physical strength. Here’s she explains how her career was boosted by fitness as part of the new Stylist Strong campaign. Before I sat down to write this, I did a workout. Nothing fancy; just a 25 minute cardio circuit . By the end I was tomato-faced and dripping sweat onto the battered fitness mat I drag into the middle of my bedroom floor at least four times a week. The day prior, I’d given myself 24 hours grace from both the workout and the writing I had tabled to complete by the time Monday rolled around. Waking up on Sunday, I didn’t particularly feel like doing either. But this was the deal I’d struck with myself. So instead of rolling over and continuing to doze, I got out of bed, pulled on my kit and fired up my workout app. 25 minutes later I was awake, focused and ready to tick the next task off my to-do list. Exercise… on a Sunday? Doing work… on a Sunday? Getting up before 12pm… on a Sunday? If it helps, I’m equally as horrified at how insufferable I’ve become since I started exercising in earnest three years ago. To someone who knew me in 2016, the idea that I could possess a work ethic built on consistency, routine and actually getting shit done, rather than just talking about it, would be shocking. The suggestion alone that I even have a work ethic would cause them to double take. Up until the age of 21, my approach to work, whatever its nature – paid, academic, basic life admin like registering for the GP so I wouldn’t, you know, die of a cold – was ‘procrastinate […]

Click here to view full article