Plenty of super-busy people find time to exercise, eat right, and otherwise take good care of their health. It’s all a matter of mindset, good habits, and effective processes. Here we share six common habits of busy – yet super healthy – people:
Make lists. Busy doesn’t necessarily translate into productive. In fact, many people are busy because they are inefficient with their time. You can reduce stress and worry if you know what tasks you need to accomplish. When making lists, though, pay attention to your own rhythms. For example, if you tend to have high physical energy in early morning, strong mental acuity and attention around midday, and low energy/focus in late afternoon, your list might go: exercise, heavy thinking tasks, light-thinking tasks and errands. With your list in the right order, you can step through it easily, crossing each item off, and moving on to the next.
Don’t even think about buying it! If it’s in the house, you will eat or drink it eventually. If it is not there, you won’t have a choice! Clean out your pantry and just stop buying the items you know you cannot resist.
Prepare ahead for the week. Nothing leads to slip-ups more than being unprepared. Take 1-2 hours on weekends to prepare healthy foods. As soon as you come home from the grocery store, make a habit of cleaning, cutting, and storing fruits and veggies so you can both see and access them easily. If there are clear containers of colorful, fresh, ready-to-eat healthy snacks at eye level when you open the fridge you will be much more likely to choose them.
Find a support group. On a day you are feeling low or weak, someone else in your group will be strong and can help you to stay motivated through low points (and vice versa). Be sure to choose people who are generous in celebrating others’ successes.
Take time for yourself. Find ways to be alone and clear your mind. Take a walk at lunch, spend time writing in a journal to rid yourself of negative self-talk, read a book, take a bath, or indulge in catnap. The only criterion is that the time, no matter how short, needs to be all about you.
Don’t let little failures derail you. The worst thing you can do is to feel guilty every time you make a mistake. Try to figure out what circumstance or thought precipitated the transgression, learn your lesson, and then hop back on track. Health is a marathon not a sprint.
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Dan Mahoney, MaidPro Health & Wellness Chief
