How a 4word C-Level Woman Fits Exercise Into Her Packed Corporate Schedule
Molly Smith, Chief Client Officer at HundredX with a side hustle as a health coach, shares why she became so invested in fitness and offers up her secret weapon to successfully fitting exercise into your own busy schedule.
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Is exercise something that has always been easy for you to prioritize?
Oh, heavens no! Like a lot of 4word women, I’m balancing multiple priorities between work, home, and family. Figuring out where exercise fits in has been a challenge. The thing that works for me is blocking the time on my calendar.
Can you share about when you knew that you wanted to help others on their health journeys?
In May of 2019, I was about sixty days into my own health journey. I had lost about twenty-five pounds, was off my reflux medication, and my confidence and energy levels were up and people started noticing. And, of course, I couldn’t stop talking about what I was doing because it was working. Before I knew it, I was helping others do the same thing. Helping people make progress in their health and overcome habits that aren’t serving them is very rewarding.
Beyond the obvious health and physical benefits, what are some other unexpected advantages of prioritizing exercise and better wellness?
There are so many unexpected advantages to exercise: improved mood, quality sleep, more energy, better self-esteem, reduced stress, and diminished anxiety are just a few of the advantages!
Exercise is a great way to shift your perspective, particularly on stressful days. On days like that, my go-to exercise is riding my bike. Between the change of scenery and the increase in endorphins, I always come back with clearer thoughts and a more positive outlook.
If you could only share three tips with someone wanting to add exercise to their almost entirely full schedule, what would you share?
- Schedule time to exercise: If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen! Prioritize exercise by creating space for it in your day—even if it’s just 10 minutes.
- Find a partner: Starting anything new is easier (and more fun!) if you do it with someone else. Plus, the additional accountability is helpful!
- Create a habit loop: Habit loops are made up of three parts: cue, action, and reward. The key to creating a successful habit loop is to ensure the action is something you can regularly accomplish, even on the busiest of days. I just recently created a new habit loop. Here’s how it works:
Goal: Tighten up my mid-section
Cue: My blue mat on the floor next to my bed
Action: Do at least five crunches! On most days, I do more than the minimum but success is measured by completing at least five crunches, which takes about ten seconds. Remember, the bar needs to be set low so that the exercise goal is easy to complete.
Reward: Less fluff in the middle!
Anything else you’d like to share?
If you aren’t exercising today and want to begin, I encourage you to start with something easy to accomplish. Set an achievable goal and block time on your calendar a few days a week to work towards it.
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Molly Smith is the Chief Client Officer of HundredX. She was formerly the Vice President of Customer Success at Trintech, where she spent nearly two decades rising from an entry level role to senior leadership. She’s spent her career aiming to elevate the voices of customers and teams, and she’s passionate about women stepping into their own in the workplace.
Without losing sight of her career goals, Molly became intentional about her physical health. After finding success in a health program for the first time in decades, Molly started a side business as a health coach. In just 18 months, Molly has helped over 100 people get healthy and change the trajectory of their lives.
Molly is deeply committed to personal growth, the potential of the people around her, and the success of the companies she gets to lead. She approaches most challenges with a combination of positivity and determination. She believes we all have the desire, and more importantly, the ability and grit, to achieve what we want in life. She embraces opportunities to speak, write about, and coach others to reach their goals for their health, careers, finances, and family life.
When Molly’s not at work in her career or her side hustle, she spends time with her family, advocates for autism awareness, volunteers in her community, and challenges herself to meet new health goals.