Yesterday I finally got to the workout I was supposed to do last Friday. I invited my 3 year old daughter to join me since she loves to show me how she can do plank poses and sit ups. She had other plans for me though. As I was doing push ups my spunky daughter climbed onto my back and while I worked through my sit ups she tickled my toes. I could get frustrated by the interruptions but I was happy to get most of my workout in.
As a busy mom and business owner, taking imperfect action and simplifying has been my mantra to keep my wellness routine on track over the past two months. Preschool has been cancelled and my husband has taken over my office during the day. I fit in my client meetings by preparing a heap of snacks for my daughter to easily access and then sit at the kitchen counter for the calls. I also manage all the grocery shopping, meal prep, house projects, doctors appointments, laundry and sanity for my family. I wear so many hats that I feel I may topple over any moment.
But I don’t topple over. Here’s how I manage.
Morning Routine
This is my most important part of the day and right now I’m getting up at 5am to do this. The truth is that I could sleep in but when I do, not only do I miss out on quiet work time, I also become a grumpy version of myself.
Your morning routine can vary depending on your needs but ask yourself this. “What could I do with an extra 30 minutes a day?” Are you craving time for quiet meditation or yoga? Maybe it’s going out for a run? Maybe you just want to have a cup of coffee and read the newspaper in happy silence. Whatever it is, giving yourself some “me time” in the morning can be exactly what you need to feel more calm and less stressed throughout the day. From a health standpoint, this translates into better digestion, gut health and immune function.
Taking Imperfect Action
I mentioned above that I don’t mind not having the perfect uninterrupted workout because some imperfect workout is better than none at all.
The fact is, when you take any action consistently, you’re going to be so far ahead in 30 days, 60 days or a year from now than you would waiting for the days you can take perfect action.
Taking imperfect but consistent action applies to any healthy habit. Maybe you want to be eating more vegetables, drinking more water, having non-alcohol days and ditching sugar. You know intuitively what your body wants you to do.
Well, today I’m giving you permission to take messy and imperfect action.
How can you take imperfect action starting today?
Simplify Your Daily Routines to Create More Time
It used to be that I went to the grocery store 3, 4 or 5 times a week. Now this has changed in recent months and I’m so happy it has because instead of spending up to 5 hours a week just popping over the grocery store, I can get my shopping done in an hour. I’ve just saved 4 hours! That’s 4 hours that I can dedicate to what I really want to be doing which doesn’t involve standing in line to check out.
Life is filled with tasks that are necessary but you can strategize how to simplify the ones you don’t enjoy so you have time for the ones you do enjoy. By taking the time to do a little planning, you can reduce the amount of time you spend doing the things that don’t bring you joy, like grocery shopping.
Thinking about your typical day and week.
What are some ways you can simplify your tasks to create more time for yourself?
Clear the Clutter
I recently decluttered my wardrobe. It was an immense undertaking initially but now I feel so good walking into my closet. I wear more of my clothes, it’s easier to put away clothes and I don’t have to look in my closet thinking there’s nothing to wear which saves me time.
I know it’s impossible to donate anything at the moment but if you have space to store things for donation then this is well worth the initial effort. Here’s why. Clutter costs time and money. Clutter collects dust (very unhealthy), is harder to clean, increases anxiety and actually makes being healthy harder! Think about it, if your kitchen is a cluttered mess, are you really going to be inspired to make a healthy meal?
So take a walk through your house and note how you feel from space to space. Jot this down in a notebook. Then pick a space that you know would make the world of difference if it were clutter free. It might be small like your entryway, larger like your kitchen.
What space would you like to declutter first and what will that give you? Time? Peace of Mind? Space to cook a healthy meal?
Make Healthy Swaps
When it comes to wellness, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with trying to change your diet to what you think would be the healthiest option. What I like to recommend to my clients is to look for healthy swaps and to crowd out less healthy options with healthier ones.
The biggest swap I like to recommend is going organic for fruits and veggies and going pasture raised for any animal proteins. This one change allows you to greatly reduce your exposure to glyphosate and associated chemicals which wreak havoc on your health.
The next biggest swap I like to recommend is changing out processed foods for whole foods wherever possible. So instead of cheese and crackers for a snack, how about cheese and apples? I start with snacks because this is the area where most processed foods make their appearance. If you want to take it a step further, instead of reaching for frozen or prepackaged meals, get some pre cut veggies, drizzle some avocado oil on them and roast them in the oven. Pair this with some fish that you can also cook in the oven and you’ve got a meal with minimal prep time.
Crowding out is another helpful way to eat healthier. If you imagine your dinner plate, see it with 75% of it piled with mostly non-starchy vegetables and the remaining 25% with proteins and healthy fats.
When you think about your daily meals, where can you see yourself making healthy swaps or crowding out less healthy options with healthier ones?
By simplifying your wellness routine and taking imperfect but consistent actions you’ll be light-years ahead of where you are today.
In Health and Wellness – Jessica