Time just keeps on slipping, slipping slipping…. One of the greatest obstacles for our health and happiness is that we are all limited to the same 24 hours per day. There don’t seem to be enough hours in the day to find time for others, time for ourselves, time for work, time to cook, time to exercise, much less time to sleep. Let’s look at 5 tricks to help you discover pockets of time in your day.
1. Prepare ahead- Everything is more likely to succeed if you prepare, even if your plan ends up changing! So plan a basic menu on Sunday afternoon for your meals that week. Lay out your gym clothes the night before to make sure you get up for that early morning workout. Pack lunches for the whole family as you help your child with homework. Choose 1 recreational activity for the weekend that is physically active for you to enjoy with others. Prepare for the healthy life you want to lead and it is more likely to become a reality.
2. 5 Minute crunch- create 5 minute health crunches in your day to help you reach your goals. Begin your day with 5 minutes of stretching while you drink your coffee or brush your teeth. You can take the stairs to talk to a colleague instead of sending an e-mail, walk for 5 minutes every hour during your day, close your eyes for 5 minutes at the end of your lunch or breaks to lower stress. 5 simple minutes can change your whole outlook for the better.
3.. Start the day out early- no matter what hour of the day your day starts, create a being “10 minutes early” window. For example, if you need to leave your home for work at 7:50 to be on time, leave at 7:40 and begin the day off early. You will find that it naturally leads the rest of your day to be early or on time, lowering stress and improving your productivity
4. Don’t multi-task- productivity experts have found that multi-tasking is actually a time waster. You tend to do too many things at once so nothing gets done well and everything takes longer. If you want to multi-task, limit it to 2 things at once! Think of it like washing dishes while you catch up on the day with your spouse. Or answer e-mails while listening to an educational webinar or podcast. Allow yourself to fully focus on the moment at hand, you will be better for it
5. Turn it off- turn off your computer, TV, iPad or cell phone at least 30 minutes before you end your day. Turn the lights down low, relax with an actual book, diffuse your favorite essential oils, take a Epsom salt soak in the tub, write in a journal or get to bed earlier. You may be surprised with all the time you suddenly find, the better quality of your sleep and how your mental and physical health improves
Have you thought of other ways to use your time for your health? I would love to hear about them so comment below. May all these tips help you find hidden patches of time you can use to better your health
Have fun & choose health
Esther
