Last updated on April 19th, 2022 at 10:35 am
Are your days full of endless to-do tasks and running around? Perhaps you work long hours and try to cram in everything you need to do after work hours. Or maybe like me you work from home and have a family to care for. Whatever has you tied up on a daily basis, the bottom line is we live our lives to the fullest and always have an excuse on why were aren’t healthy.
Everyone’s day is busy for one reason or another and it’s hard to stay healthy when you are busy right? WRONG! I am here to help you make a few slight changes in your busy routine so you can stay healthy and stay on task as well. There is never an excuse to put ourselves last.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep is the most important aspect to our health. If we are overtired things start to get complicated. Work feels harder, you feel more lethargic during the day, and things get done slower and not as efficient as it would if you were well rested. Having enough sleep affects the choices we make in our eating habits too. Everyone can relate to grabbing those crisps and chocolate bar for a quick snack on the go or having that fast food takeaway after a long day and don’t feel like cooking. Getting enough sleep prepares us for our busy schedule each day with energy and a clear mind.
I know many of us are guilty of watching tv late to unwind but that just gets our minds working again even though are bodies are resting. Sometimes watching tv late can really have negative effects on your sleeping habits. Same goes for the bloggers blogging and on social media until all hours of the night (guilty here) this is both cutting into your sleep time and making you work less efficiently than you would well rested during normal day hours. Make sure you are getting enough sleep.
PLAN HEALTHY MEALS AHEAD OF TIME
I can’t stress this one enough. If you have a super busy schedule to keep than you need to plan your healthy meals ahead of time otherwise you will do what most people do and grab a quick and convenient bite on the go which is almost always an unhealthy option. Each Sunday, make food in bulk and plan your meals out for the coming week. I like to prepare crockpot/slower cooker meals in ziplock bags. That way you can grab one, dump it into the crockpot and turn it on for when you return home from work. Pack those lunches for work so you aren’t tempted to grab a burger on your lunch break or resort to that candy machine in the cafeteria for a chocolate bar. It saves time and money packing your lunches and you eat what you prepare not someone else so you know what you are putting into your body. It’s your choice without temptations at the cafe or restaurant next door. Don’t skip out on breakfast, it’s the most important meal of the day. Prepare your breakfast the night before like my Overnight Oats in a Jar. It’s healthy, delicious, variety of flavors options so you don’t get bored, and quick in the morning.
Schedule your groceries to deliver to your door, once a week at a convenient time for you. This saves you time in going to the grocery store but most importantly this saves you from buying unhealthy convenient food that catches your eye while you walk down the aisle. You will buy more healthy options like fruit and vegetables online when you order. You can save your weekly shop list and reorder from the same list over and over. It’s a time saver and keeps you away from those unwanted sweets, crisps, soda, or frozen pizza aisle that so easily tempt us when we are busy and hungry in the grocery store.
Make better food choices too. This doesn’t take time at all just a little more thought. Switch little things like your butter to #nothingartificial or work your way to no sugar in your coffee. Last year, I did a 30 day no junk challenge with my mother to kick start eating healthier. All it takes is us to change the way we view food and associate with bad food to help us be healthier.
MAKE TIME FOR EXERCISE
I have never heard more excuses for not exercising than I am just too busy to go to the gym. You are NEVER too busy to give your body the attention it needs and deserves. Getting your daily exercise doesn’t have to be in a gym either. It can be as little as 15-20 minutes a day to more if you like in your home, at the park, on the way to work, home from work, or even with the kids. Where ever you are, we can give what our bodies need on a daily basis. Without exercise our immune system drops, our organs have to work harder and how can we stay busy if we are sick all the time?
There are so many ways to exercise right in your very own home if gyms aren’t for you. I am a huge fan of kettlebells when I don’t have time to go to the gym. I just youtubed how to use them properly and I was ready to go.
Why not try Onlinegym4me, which is an online video platform with daily live and on-demand/recorded workouts with budget friendly membership plans. They have functional training, Yoga and Pilates workouts too. Each day they stream up to 4 live classes that are later available for replay as recorded class. This is perfect for someone with a busy schedule who can sneak guided workouts in when they can. Or perhaps you just don’t like working out in a gym in front of people but still want guidance as you don’t know where to start. For those super busy schedules you can keep exercising even if you are on a business trip or vacation. I like the fact that they have recorded session so you can rewatch the ones you enjoy doing again and again. Here you can get 1-month free access in addition to their existing free trail, I promise not credit card is need. This way you can see if it works for your busy schedule.
There are so many apps to that can help you on your way to a healthier you while you are busy. Apps like My Fitness Pal can track what exercise you do each day, the food you eat and the water you intake for you. I think it really helps motivate you and keep you on track when you log these three things together. You can see the overall picture of what you are and are not doing right.
MAKE WISE SNACK DECISIONS
I always say the worse thing we can do when we are busy is resort to bad snacking habits. It is so hard not to do it when we are constantly on the go. I have been really good about packing various snacks up so they are easily accessible, ready to eat, and always at an arms reach so I am not tempted with food that will make me feel more tired or dopey after I eat them. Things like cut veggies are great to prepare in mini ziplock bags in the fridge so you can pop one of them in your handbag each morning for a snack during the day. I like to cut carrots and cucumbers together. Have another set of mini bags full of mixed berries like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Berries are so good for you and less sugar than apples and pears. Having fruit and veg wash, cut and ready to grab and eat makes being healthy and busy easy.
Why not have a bag of almonds in your car? A few almonds on the way home can curve that appetite enough so you don’t want to snack and over eat right when you walk in the door. Or perhaps save you from buying something unhealthy on the train ride home because you are absolutely starving.
Snacking is hard to get right especially for those with a busy schedule. We are so busy with the kids I make sure I always pack water bottles, veg and fruit baggies, and all natural rice cakes or wheat crackers to take the edge off of being hungry in between meals for the kids. It not only saves us from eating bad while we are on the go it saves money too.
DRINK MORE WATER
This is a given and yet you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t drink enough water. (shouting at myself here). Water rehydrated our bodies and without it we can feel sluggish, tired, moody not to mention our hair, nails, skin start to look in great need of care too. Why not keep a log of how much water your body needs or put an alarm on your phone to drink a glass a water a few times throughout the day. This has really helped me to remember how important water is to my health.
STAY ORGANIZED
You have a busy schedule so you must be great at this part. However, most people don’t realize that they actually have more time than they think if they organize themselves properly. Learning to save time on things that take you a long time to do can free space in your schedule like online grocery ordering. Things like using OnlineGym4Me can save time and money on going to the gym because you can do it anywhere, anytime. Preparing all your meals and snacks ahead of time is a huge time and money saver too. You won’t believe how much time we spend walking in the door trying to think what to make for dinner, making dinner and than eating it as fast as we can so we can move on to the next task at hand. Either way, staying organized is the key to staying healthy so it should work well for someone with a busy schedule. You just have to prioritize things better like water, food and exercise should be a must in that daily busy schedule of yours. They are the foundation to your health and wellbeing and if you aren’t well how can you accomplish anything else in that schedule of yours?
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