When you spend your time doing everything else – from work to family, to errands – it’s hard to fit in time for your health goals. And with so much to do, you really don’t want to spend your downtime exercising, or making sure you didn’t go overboard at lunch. You want your downtime to be relaxing and chill.
But even if you don’t have lots of time for exercise, cooking, and sleeping, you can still have a healthy lifestyle.
Exercising When You’re Very Busy
So many of us think that you can’t exercise unless you’ve got a gym membership, fitness apparel, and lots of time to sweat.
But that’s simply not true.
If it’s difficult to block out an hour or even thirty minutes for your workout, don’t sweat it. There are many ways you can sneak in exercise.
Opt for Short, Effective Workouts
The 7 Minute Workout, interval training, quick cardio warmups, and yoga practices all have one thing in common.
They can boost your heart rate and even make you sweat without taking up a lot of your time. By waking up 15 minutes earlier, you can sneak in some fitness before taking your shower.
Create Opportunities for Movement
If you can’t squeeze in even a short workout, don’t worry. You can add more movement to your current lifestyle. You just have to make a couple of small adjustments.
For example, if you take the car, park it further away from the building’s entrance. If you have to choose between the elevator, escalator or stairs, take the stairs. And if you live in a town or city where bikes and pedestrians are welcome, consider walking or cycling for your transportation.
Don’t Sit in Front of the TV
You probably watch your favorite programs at night. But instead of sitting down the whole time, try doing some exercise, like stretching, Pilates, yoga or even interval training.
You Can Eat Healthy with a Hectic Schedule
There are so many great ways to eat healthy even if your planner is swamped with to-dos. It might be tempting to try lots of suggestions all at once.
But it’s better to choose one, or a few to start with.
This way you can set manageable goals and intentions, and not add any additional stress and overwhelm into your life.
Stay Hydrated
We’ve all heard it before, but drinking water never goes out of fashion. Staying hydrated can prevent headaches, fatigue and digestive issues. If it’s hard to remember, set a reminder on your phone and keep a stock of bottled water at work.
Or, keep your favorite water bottle with you and make sure you’re filling it up throughout the day.
Even though coffee is a go-to for many busy people, it’s a diuretic and can lead to energy crashes later in the day. So, get a gentler boost of energy by opting for teas – there are so many varieties to choose from.
Take Time to Eat
I know you’re probably saying, “But I’m too busy!”
But making time to eat will actually help you be more productive and focused throughout the rest of your day. Eating a balanced breakfast of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and some fat, can help regulate your blood sugar levels, and keep you from overeating later on.
If you’re tempted to push dinner until very late, consider eating supper before 7 or 8 PM each night. This will ensure that your body has time to digest before you hit the sack. This can lead to restorative sleep and less stress on your liver.
Reinvent Your Meals
Now, reinventing your meals might mean spending more time up front, but it definitely pays off during the rest of the week.
On the weekend, create a meal plan, and opt for dishes with fewer ingredients that are easy to assemble throughout the week. Otherwise, cook meals in very large batches so that you can have leftovers for lunch or dinner. Making soups and using your crockpot are very easy ways to eat delicious, nutrient-dense meals that don’t take a lot of time preparing.
Get Snacking
Yes, snacking is part of a healthy lifestyle.
But we’re not talking about chips and pastries to fend off afternoon hunger. These only give you empty calories and very little (if any) nutrition.
Instead, stock up on healthy snacks like carrots and hummus, apples and nut butter, dried fruit, roasted nuts, and granola.
Be Smart
If these suggestions aren’t cutting for you, you can always eat out, or have your groceries delivered. And even though it’s more difficult to eat healthy when you’re in a restaurant, it’s not impossible.
Avoid the bread basket, and instead of ordering fried and breaded entrees, look for steamed, baked and grilled dishes to enjoy. You can also order an extra side of vegetables to fill you up.
You Can Sleep Well Even if You’re Busy
The importance of sleep is undeniable, and you can make sure you get good sleep by making some mindful adjustments at night.
Technology Break
If possible, stop looking at all screens (TV, iPhone, iPad, etc.) at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. This will help your eyes relax, and make it easier for your stimulated brain to calm down, too.
Drink Soothing Beverages
To help your body fall to sleep naturally, try to avoid any caffeine 6 hours (or more) before sleeping. To bump it up a notch, indulge in a relaxing cup of chamomile tea after dinner.
Calm the Mind
After running around all day, it only makes sense that your mind runs around at night. But you can help to slow it down with deep breathing exercises, and even a ten-minute meditation practice.
Relax the Body
Magnesium sprays or supplements are regarded as a great sleep aid. It helps relax and restore the muscles. This ensures a more restful evening.
Essential oils, such as lavender, chamomile, bergamot, and marjoram are also a wonderful support to release stress and tension so you can sleep easily and deeply.
Most of us would love more time to take better care of ourselves. But even if you’re super busy, you can still create healthy habits and feel better by making small adjustments to your daily routine.
