How To Keep Active as Part of a Work/Life Balance with Louise Rumball

Maintaining an active lifestyle should come naturally, especially as guidelines say we need, as humans, at least thirty minutes of exercise per day. However, due to the strict work routines we assign ourselves, squeezing in a quick run or a gym session becomes more of a challenge – leaving us feeling sluggish, unhealthy and less productive in our jobs.

We spoke to Louise Rumball, Founder of Chapter Three, about how turning from corporate litigator to entrepreneur has made a positive impact on her health and well-being, despite her work life becoming a whole lot busier.

Tell us about your courageous move to go from litigator to starting your own business. How has exercise helped you make this transition? 

When I was part of London’s largest law firms, health and well-being was never a priority for me, and it seemed like it wasn’t a priority for anyone else either. Without generalizing too much, the amount of unhealthy, unhappy people I came across in my day-to-day legal life was very high – and the number of people who, as a result, suffered from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues was surprising. Since taking the leap and leaving the corporate world behind, exercise is now a fundamental part of my weekly routine. Running a business is stressful at the best of times, but exercise gives me the endorphin rush that’s a huge part of my coping mechanism.

What impact has your current business and role had on your fitness routine?

I’m a self-admitted exercise junkie. I spin anywhere between 4-7 times a week at Boom Cycle in Holborn and I try to do at least 1 or 2 yoga classes a week. One of our clients is Anthony Joshua’s new boutique boxing gym, BXR London, so there’s always a bit of boxing thrown in for good measure. I also supplement my yoga for meditation from time to time, it helps me stay calm and have a clear head when I’m feeling more stressed than normal.

What advice would you give people who don’t seem to ‘find the time’ to have an active lifestyle? 

Exercise isn’t a chore for me, so I don’t tend to resent having to do so much of it. All in all, I couldn’t imagine my life without the endorphin rush that exercise provides me with. Getting up at 6 am, on a spinning bike by 6.30 am, and in the office by 8 am definitely might sound crazy to some people. However, I would urge you to at least try and incorporate some health, fitness, and well-being into your life – it might just make all of the difference! Even if you do that twice or three times a week, it’ll improve your productivity and energy levels throughout the week.

I feel lucky that start-up life gives me the flexibility to incorporate this into my work life. In addition, my coworking space, LABS, provides me with yoga classes twice a week – even more of a bonus!

Chapter Three is a social and influencer marketing agency, offering a 360-degree approach to social branding, content creation, and social media management.