Happy Motivation Monday!
One of the most common reasons people give for not eating healthily, cooking at home, exercising regularly, or just generally living a healthy lifestyle is that they don’t have time. Everyone is busy these days, and we’re all cramming in tons of activities. Once we fill up our day with taking care of others, doing our jobs, and getting all our other tasks done … we often don’t have time for the most important responsibility: taking care of ourselves. Are you making time for your health?
(picture from Runner’s World … tough love!)
I know you are very busy, and don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you that you must have a gourmet, home-cooked meal every single time you eat and exercise 2 hours every single day. However, we always find time for what we prioritize in our lives. We all have the same 168 hours per week, and we fill those hours with what is a priority for us. So if you haven’t had time to exercise in 3 years, really exercise just hasn’t been a priority for you in 3 years. (And that’s OK! Now is the perfect time to change that!)
You DO have time to make one small improvement today. Maybe it’s as small as parking as far away from the entrance to the grocery store as possible to get in a few extra steps, or squeezing in a 10-minute at-home workout. Maybe it’s about driving through Starbucks for a health(ier) breakfast sandwich instead of grabbing a few donuts at the donut shop. Maybe it’s about picking up a pre-made salad from the grocery store and bringing that to the office for lunch this week.
So tell me in the comments … What will YOU prioritize today for your health?
For me exercising (unless there’s a race) or eating strictly paleo on the weekends will never be a priority. I love my weekends, it’s my time to just live a little more freely. Even when I’m training for a race, I always time my super long run during the week. I’d rather wake up at 3:30am on Wednesday then wake up at 6am on Saturday. Is that crazy? Anyway, I’m always a little envious of those who make exercise on the weekends as big a priority as it is during the week. Not enough though to change my weekend glass of wine or bowl of ice cream though;) I love the rephrasing of “I don’t have time.” It works really well!
~Bre
Great point, Bre! It’s all about finding what priorities can fit into your life! If you said that you NEVER made exercise a priority, I’d argue that you should shift priorities around a bit, but you’re getting in plenty of exercise so I think it’s totally fine to have other priorities on the weekend!
I totally agree with this. And even if someone really does’t have time, there are much better quick options than say, fast food, so at the very least, don’t add that stuff to your life and make yourself feel worse.
Couldn’t agree more, Tonya !
I LOVE this! Changing the wording makes all the difference. I’ve been practicing that when it comes to finances. Instead of saying “I can’t afford that I’ll say that’s not in my budget or that’s not a top priority right now.”
Great application, Lauren! I’m sure that you COULD afford that extra Starbucks coffee or new shirt, but that would mean sacrificing healthy food or something else that is higher on your priority list.
Amen sister! I am so on board with that and try to teach it everyday. I meal prep, wake up early to fit in my fitness, and make it a part of our lifestyle here at home. It’s a choice, you have to make the time, make it a priority. Totally worth it! 🙂
So glad you’re out there teaching the importance of making time for your health, Rosi!
Love this. I was in a time managment seminar at work in about 2000 and the big take away is that there is only one thing we have to do: sleep. If you don’t choose to sleep, your body will do it involuntarily. Every single other thing we do is a choice. Once that lesson sunk in with me, the next step was to own my choices.
So true! I’d say we also have to eat :), but the choice of what to eat is a big one! Love the thought of owning your own choices.
This is really applicable to me right now – I just am returning back to work from maternity leave and trying to find the time to do ANYTHING right now is a challenge! I’m working on fitting in exercise since it is such a big priority to me. While I was at home, I was able to squeeze it in whenever I could during the day – now that I’m in the office, it’s a bit more challenging. I now understand what working parents are talking about when they say there is not enough time in the day!
You’re amazing, Emily! How has the return to work been? Maybe look for some quick 10-minute at-home workouts for busy days?
Great reminders that if you don’t have time to do everything, just make some small changes! Even when I get really busy I still get my workouts done in the AM- getting it done first things means I won’t skip it when I get busy! Also packing a healthy lunch means I won’t be tempted to grab junk when i get hungry.
100% agree on the morning workouts – so helpful to get it done so nothing else can get in the way!
I love this! It’s funny… now that I’ve been workout out regularly for so long, it has become a habit. Just like I brush my teeth everyday, I workout everyday!
I’m so with you, Laura! I sometimes hate days off … a necessary evil 🙂
Healthy eating is a choice just like Happiness is a choice. It’s a slow process, but I’m really getting there. THANKS to you, Megan.
You have improved SO much!! Your diet now vs. 5 years ago is really amazing. Keep it up 🙂
Love this and I totally agree! I help prioritize healthy eating by doing food prep on the weekends. Having all of my veggies chopped and ready to eat makes it so much easier in the week!
Food prep is such a great time saver, Becky! Hope the start of school is going well!
Agree not everyone has time to do everything but they have time to make small changes that will yield big results. Agree it’s all about priorities. Happy Monday
I actually think LIFE is all about our priorities!! Glad we’re on the same page!