We’re all Time Starved!
Here’s how most of us spend our time during the week:
- 50+ hours put in at the office
- 40-50 hours spent sleeping
- 7-14 hours disappear for commuting
- And we still need to find time for cooking, cleaning, laundry, yardwork…and of course, finding time to spend with loved ones!
Some weeks it may seem impossible to fit exercise in! Good time management skills can help you get healthier.
We’re all busy! We’re all crunched for time!
When it comes to building a healthy lifestyle over the long term, there is no such thing as lack of time. There are parents who are CEOs, CFOs and Presidents of large Corporations who fit fitness into their days. What needs to be addressed is making your healthy habits a priority. Exercise and nutrition must be on your priority list or they won’t make it into your busy day. Recognize that you may have to say no to some other activities you used to partake in, to make time for your healthy living habits.
In order to find the time for exercise and good nutrition, you must solidify in your mind, a strong enough reason to take care of yourself. Realize that you are worth the time it takes to lead a healthy life, and really believe it. Your initial reasons may be about appearance – you want to look good at an upcoming reunion or on a special trip. It’s best if your reason ‘why’ is more focused on how your lifestyle and relationships would be impacted. For example:
- Are you interested in feeling better getting out of bed each morning?
- Do you want to have better relationships with your spouse, kids or friends?
- Would you like to be able to travel easier?
Once you’ve finally prioritized your health, there are lots of time management tips you can use to fit healthier living into your day.
Try one of These 3 Time Management Tips to Fit Healthier Living into Each Day:
1. Prepare, prepare, prepare!
- FOOD: Try my Sunday Ritual tips to save a ton of time on your food preparation each week.
- ACTIVITY: Book your workouts into your schedule 1-2 weeks a head and know what muscles you’ll be working beforehand. This will make your exercise sessions much more efficient. It’s unbelievable to think about the amount of time that is wasted when you wonder from machine to machine, without a fitness plan.
2. Break large chunks of work into smaller, more manageable tasks
- FOOD: If standing in the kitchen completing your weekly food preparation for 2 hours on a Sunday is your worst nightmare, than break your food prep time down into small, daily chunks. For example, spend 15 minutes each morning chopping the veggies you’ll need for your breakfast shake, lunch and dinner.
- ACTIVITY: If 1 hour sessions at the gym seem like an impossible task, try one of these 3 tips to fit exercise into every day:
- Complete 10-15 minutes of body weight training by your bedside as soon as you wake up. Push-ups, bicycle crunches, squat pulses and glute bridges are great exercise options.
- Get to the gym or go for a brisk walk for 20-30 minutes over your lunch hour.
- When outside in the backyard with the kids or pets at night, make a game of adding in at least 5 strength moves. Walking lunges, tricep dips, burpees, wall squats and high planks are good outdoor options.
3. Delegate – don’t be afraid to seek out help.
- FOOD: Get your love ones to share the grocery shopping duties. Have a list posted on the fridge, and ready to go at all times to assist them. Have your family help with the meal preparation; chopping veggies and cooking the basic grains is an easy way to get everyone in your home involved.
- ACTIVITY: Ask a friend or family member to become your workout buddy. Hold each other accountable for getting active daily and really giving it your all! If you need further help, seek out a fitness professional to build you a series of short exercise plans that work for you. I do this for my clients all of the time.
To sum it up…
Exercise and nutrition must be on your priority list or they won’t make it into your busy day. Just like at the office, good time management skills will help you fit healthy habits into most of your days. Preparation, delegation and breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks will help you find time for a healthier lifestyle. Please sure any additional time management tips you are using to fit more health into your life!