3 Tips for Finding Time for YOUR Health
We all have the same twenty-four hours. How is it that some seem to get a lot done, while others, well, not so much? The more I talk with people the more I hear, “I don’t have time” to take care of my health. People want the freedom to do whatever they want to do now but what happens when the stress, lack of sleep, poor food and exercise choices compromise your health? Is that really freedom? You can have freedom and live a healthy lifestyle.
I know when I hear, “I don’t have the time”, it’s not because you don’t have the time, it’s really because they haven’t made your health a priority. Here are what I consider three steps to help you get time for your health in a busy schedule.
Schedule time on your calendar. Pick one day a week and look at your upcoming week and block time for exercise, meal prep, quiet time, or whatever is your priority. I happen to like Friday so I can have fun over the weekend and then know right away on Monday what I need to get done. The most successful people have a plan. What is your goal? What are the milestones? You must know your goal in order to make sure that where you spend your time is time spent moving in the right direction. Without that plan, you are likely to procrastinate doing anything or worse, you may never start.
Review where your time is spent. Eliminate time wasters. For a week keep a time log to understand where you are spending time truly. Are you spending time on busy work, social media, or games? Once you understand where your time is spent see what you can do to stack like tasks, dump unnecessary tasks altogether, or perhaps delegate to someone else.
Don’t make it complicated! When starting out don’t go for perfection or for everything at once. For example, when someone starts meal prepping, they pick complicated recipes and tackle everything at once only to last one or two weeks. It was just too complicated. Start simple. Pick one meal or one snack and keep the ingredients simple. The same for exercise. Start simple. Just leave your front door and go for a walk if getting to the gym is too much. Or maybe go for a walk at lunch. Start small and build. All exercise is beneficial.
It's scary to start changing your health. Many people put blocks in their way and say things like, “After I finish this project, I’ll start” or “As soon as summer is over, I’ll focus on myself”. There’s never the perfect time to start a healthy lifestyle. There will always be something. Determine that healthy living needs to be a priority and once you’ve done that, there are always ways to incorporate healthy. Healthy living on a busy schedule doesn’t mean turning your life upside down. I help busy people incorporate healthy daily habits into their crazy schedules.
Lida Johnson, Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Nutritionist, and Personal Trainer. www.HeadToToeCoaching.com or [email protected] 203.260.2880.
