Virginia WaltonWe are moving back to ‘normal’. And I don’t know about you but that scares me a little.
I am worried about health, not about new variants of Covid.
I am worried about the business returning to our calendars, returning to commuting, and office culture.
I am worried that we will quickly go back to rushing around non-stop.
This is not about being lazy, after all that is not an adjective used to describe me or the people in my circle.
Two years ago, when we all thought we were just going to be working from home for a couple of weeks, there was a sense of excitement. Plans to get to the gym, workout challenges, weight loss challenges, and excitement to repurpose our commute times.
As we experienced, ‘lock-downs’, family time increased. Bicycles and puzzles were flying out of stock. The earth got a little greener.
I am NOT proposing we shut everything down. I am proposing we don’t go back to full throttle craziness.
When your calendar is slammed, deadlines are approaching, and you’re trying to keep up with your non-work commitments like family, community efforts, and causes, what is the first thing that falls off the list?
For most of us, it is ourselves. We skip the workout, we stay up late, we push through the exhaustion.
Then we get up late, we’re rushing, no time for a workout, and about 3 pm, we are reaching for caffeine or sugar to get us through the rest of the day. So now two healthy habits hit the floor.
And once you start down that path, the rest of them go too.
Here are three simple ways to keep yourself a priority
WALK
Even if you can’t get in a workout or spin class, get in some form of movement. The weather is getting better so go for a walk. 10 minutes of fresh air and movement will help you refresh and recharge.
Not to mention you can say you did something for yourself. No, you didn’t get 45 minutes on the treadmill, but you did not completely sacrifice your well-being. That mindset matters.
When is a great time to do this?
When you feel that 3 o’clock energy crash. Instead of going for caffeine and sugar get your blood flowing with a brisk walk. You don’t need to sprint and be a sweaty mess the rest of the day, just get moving to get the heart rate up.
SKIP THE POOR FOOD CHOICES
Those days that you are tired and sluggish it is even more important to eat quality food. Do not grab what is fast and easy like a donut!
Two reasons for this
1) It will not give you the energy you need. You’ll crash!
2) You will regret it so you will feel even worse about yourself.
If you feel yourself craving that sweet snack or cup of coffee in the afternoon. Go for a quick walk and not to the break room.
DO NOT GO ALL IN
This is the hardest, trust me I know.
If my healthy habits are skipped in the morning it is so much harder to make good choices as the day goes on. The “I will reset” tomorrow mentality starts.
So yes, give yourself grace for sleeping in, for skipping the quiet time in the morning, the walk or workout that starts your day, but that’s it!
Get your ass focused for the rest of the day.
If you beat yourself up for skipping one, you’ll feel crappy and skip them all.
After all, we are driven and give 100%, even when it’s a bad habit!
The biggest challenge in this is making these practices a habit. Creating accountability helps build habits and keeps us on track.
If you need help with creating accountability to build new habits and make yourself a priority, a coach is a great way to do that and develop the approach that works best for you.
Ready to build new habits? I am here to support you.