Time…..If only I could add a few more hours to my day, then I would get it all done. Have you ever thought this? If I am being totally honest, I would most likely still have a long list of things to do and it may or may not include self-care. While I tend to fit in health related activities on a regular basis, I am guilty of letting other tasks get in the way of my wellness at times. I have never met anyone who regrets spending time on doing things that make them feel good but the hard part comes when we have to actually fit it in to an already packed agenda.
Most mothers I work with mention time as one of the biggest barriers to achieving their wellness related goals and I couldn’t agree more. The hours we do have are not completely are own, between work, school, sleep, children’s needs, etc there are even less hours to accomplish daily household tasks, grocery shopping, getting together with friends, volunteering and oh yeah self-care. Anyone else feeling a little overwhelmed and stressed out? Did you notice I listed self-care last? Even though many of us want to dedicate a portion of the day to doing something that makes us feel alive, healthy and in control the reality is that self-care is often placed last and in many cases doesn’t happen at all. As women and mothers we tend to put ourselves last and meet the needs of everyone else first (boss, husband, kids, etc) with little time or energy left to take care of our own bodies and minds.
Regularly taking time to participate in healthy behaviors not only requires time but also a change in mindset. Have you ever noticed what you deem as truly important you find time for? Think about your day yesterday? What did you “have time” for that may or may not get you closer to the best version of yourself? You are worthy of being a priority and spending time taking care of yourself. We can have all the time in the world but if we don’t have a mindset that says, “I am just as important as everyone else and I am going to take time each day for me,” you will still struggle to fit in personal wellness.
Are you ready to make yourself a priority? Did you change your mindset on how you view self-care and feel you deserve to feel happy, fulfilled and healthy (at least most of the time)? Check out these 5 time-saving tips for fitting in self-care.
- Put it first – I am a big supporter of fitting in self-care when it works for you, but research and reality has shown that people who do their exercise, meditation, etc first thing are more likely to accomplish their goal primarily because it actually happens. How many times have you wanted to walk when you got home from work, only to find that other things came up and it never happens? I liken self care first thing in the day to saving money. If you save first and put money aside prior to paying bills you actually save and build a nest egg and if you save after you have paid everything for the month the chances you have money to save is not as likely. The same goes for self-care if you do it up front you increase the odds that it actually happens.
- Schedule it – Much like we schedule a work meeting, school events, doctors appointments we can also schedule in self-care activities. Put desired actions into you calendar or block yourself out at work. Planning in 15 minutes for meditation, a 30 minute walk or even a lunch break where you eat mindfully can increase the chances of success. It serves not only as dedicated time in your day but also a visual reminder of what you will do to take care of yourself.
- Combine Activities – I used to feel that in order to get in physical activity I had to have all this extra time every day just for exercise until I became a mom and realized that most of the day is filled up and unless I got strategic I just couldn’t be as active as I wanted. Have a work meeting in another building or down the street plan to walk there, incorporate stairs, different intervals of walking speed. Better yet do a walking meeting if you are able, jump on a call or join the group and get moving. Not only do you get in more steps but studies show increased innovation when you move while brainstorming. What other activities in your day can be combined with movement or something else health related?
- Plan ahead – want to free up time, plan ahead for what the day will look like and where you can save precious minutes by being more organized. One of the biggest ways I see moms gaining time in their day is by meal planning. Plan your meal for the next day the night before. Cut up veggies and other items when you can, cook meats if appropriate. Having ingredients and a plan the night before can save an hour or more the following day by not having to go to the grocery store and making meal preparation that much quicker.
- Make it a family affair – Moms often feel guilt for taking time for themselves. Wanna spend time with the kiddos and get in some self-care? Invite your kids to ride their bikes while you run or push them in the stroller. Have a bunch of snow, take the kids out sledding (the key is you have to hike the hill with them) or make an obstacle course in the snow. Try the app Sworkit and do the exercises together as a family. Even little ones can make an attempt at the activity and they get to see a mom taking care of herself!
Grab Free 3 day meal planner now!
Challenge:
- Set your wellness goal for the week and then using one of the tips above “find the time” to actually accomplish it. One step in the right direction puts you that much closer to what you truly desire! You’ve got this!
Recent Comments