A Heart-Healthy Survival Guide for the Working Woman

5:00 a.m.: Alarm clock goes off. 

5:15 a.m.: Alarm clock goes off again, and I drag myself out of bed.

5:30 a.m.: Make coffee (aka: sweet nectar of survival).

5:40 a.m.: Prep lunch for the day and organize anything that didn’t get done the night before.

6 – 7:10 a.m.: Quick morning routine—shower, dress, breakfast, and a mental pep talk before heading out the door.

7:15 a.m.: Commute begins. Fingers crossed for light traffic.

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Full workday—meetings, deadlines, problem-solving, and the occasional fire drill.

5:30 – 6:15 p.m.: Battle traffic on I-95 on my way home. 

6:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Dinner, catching up with family or friends, and maybe squeezing in a little downtime.

7:45 – 9:00 p.m.: Prep for the next day—emails, laundry, or just trying to stay ahead of the chaos.

9:30 p.m.: Fall asleep on the couch watching HGTV.

5:00 a.m.: Repeat.

This is my typical day, and I’m sure it’s not unique.

I love my life. I have a great partner who shares the load and makes the day-to-day easier. I love my job, too. As challenging as it is, I feel like I make a difference.

I refuse to compromise on my work, but I also refuse to let my personal life fall apart. I look longingly at colleagues who seem to have time for the gym three times a week. I used to be that person. I used to exercise! Often! Now...not so much. And it’s not because I’m lazy—it’s because I’m exhausted.

Stress is real, and I know the toll it takes on health. It raises blood pressure, affects sleep, and increases the risk of heart-related issues. One clear way to reduce stress is exercise. I tell people all the time that they need to move more. Exercise lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, burns calories, and reduces future health risks. Fact is, I could fit in exercise at 4 a.m. or 10 p.m., but that’s not realistic right now.

Women are increasingly present in every professional arena. Many of us aren’t willing to compromise on having a family or a personal life, so the little time we have away from work is consumed by those responsibilities. It often feels like having two full-time jobs—each rewarding, but equally demanding.

So, what can we do? Here are a few things I’ve tried as a middle ground:

• Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep nightly.  

• Reduce stress through exercise, mindfulness, breathing techniques, hobbies.  

• Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink per day.  

• Exercise for at least 150 min moderate or 75 min vigorous aerobic per week, plus strength training 2+ days/week; aim for 300 min/week for added benefit. 

It’s not perfect but tracking my steps and reminding myself this is temporary helps. Life will shift, and more time will open for things like the gym. Exercise has always been a big part of my life, and it will be again. For now, I focus on doing what I can—and setting an example for others that even small steps matter.