Hey you,

Let me guess—you wanna train more, but life keeps throwing stuff at you?

I’ve been there, and it truly sucks!

When I first started Jiu Jitsu, I told myself the same thing over and over:

“I just don’t have time.”

Work was wild. Life was chaotic. And free time? That felt like a myth.

But here's a truth that no one likes to hear, including myself: If it matters, you'll find the time.

That hit me hard.

So I made a tiny shift: I started putting Jiu Jitsu on my calendar like it was a meeting with my boss.

Not a “maybe.” Not a “if I feel like it.” A non-negotiable.

• Monday night? Nogi.

• Wednesday? Gi class.

• Saturday? Open mat therapy.

And once I had that rhythm? Everything else started falling into place.

I actually became more productive at work. Less stressed. More focused.

And way better at saying no to stuff that didn’t matter (lookin’ at you, 2-hour YouTube rabbit holes).

Turns out, chasing triangles helped me chase life goals too.

Bonus lesson? I also learned how to communicate better with my family and friends.

I let them know why training mattered to me. Why I needed it—not just for fitness, but for my sanity.

And once they saw how much better I was mentally and physically, they supported me even more. Some even came to watch. A few even joined.

But here’s the part that matters most:

Life won’t always cooperate.

You’ll miss a class. Schedules will shift. Energy will dip.

That doesn’t mean you quit.

It means you roll with it. (Pun totally intended.)

I kept a spare gi in the car. I found solo drills for crazy weeks. I learned that being flexible doesn’t mean being inconsistent.

It means staying connected—even when life gets messy.

So if you’re trying to juggle it all, remember this:

• Structure = freedom

• Communication builds support

• Consistency wins—even if it’s not perfect

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you how all this rolling helped me actually become better at relationships (yeah, I was shocked too).

Catch you then?
—Ben at jiujitsu-news.com

P.S. Got a weird training-life-work balance trick that’s worked for you? Hit reply—I’m always looking to steal good ideas. 😄