People are usually shocked when they find out I wake up an hour early so I can write and meditate before work. Then they’re really thrown when they find out I come home from the gym and work a bit more, then stretch and foam roll, get ready for bed and say my prayers. These are my daily self-care habits and I love them. I’d rather do all of these things than watch three hours of television or go to happy hour at a bar. A lot of you tell me you don’t have time. Yes you do. And let me tell you, I didn’t start out with all of these habits at one time. I started one, then added another, then set the timer for longer, then turned off my tv earlier. Decide on one healthy habit you’d like to start. Here are some easy lifestyle changes to make time for it. If you choose just one of these life hacks, you will be choosing a healthier you.
1. Front-load your night. If something can be done the night before, do it. Get your outfit ready, get your food packed and ready, get your coffee pot ready, shower the night before. Just doing these four things can give you an extra 20-30 minutes in the morning.
2. Set your alarm 5 minutes earlier than you usually do. Eventually start adding a minute every week.
3. Schedule your TV time. If you’re watching more than 20-30 minutes of TV per day…no wonder you’re not getting anything done. I only watch TV if I’m foam rolling/stretching or while I’m eating. No electronics 30 minutes before bed.
4. Make a weekly to-do/goal list. Keep it somewhere you can see it, and actively mark things off of the list every week. Keep it simple at first, maybe 1-2 goals per week. And then once that has become a regular habit, add on another goal. Setting too many goals will set you up for failure.
5. If you find that you simply “cannot” turn off the TV, but you’re kicking yourself because you didn’t write/exercise/meditate/self-care, STOP what you’re doing, set a timer for 5 minutes and just do the thing. Then go back to watching TV. In an hour STOP what you’re doing again, set your timer, do the thing, commence television. Repeat as many times as possible.
And begin.
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