There’s a reason why you have to plan everything three weeks in advance—life is busy! Between your work life and social life, your schedule and your responsibilities fill up. It’s easy to forget about maintaining your health, because you’re focusing on other things. But with so much to do, how do you keep a healthy lifestyle as a priority? Here are seven tips that can help.
Get plenty of sleep.
Sleep is one of the first things to go when you’re busy; everyone wants a few more hours to do what they need to do! But it is important to get enough sleep so that your body can recharge, your muscles can repair, and your mind can refresh, meaning you’ll have better energy, productivity, and mood the next day. Keep a consistent sleep schedule so that your body’s internal clock optimizes the quality of your sleep, and try to sleep for at least 8 hours a day. If you’re not able to get a full 8 hours in, that’s okay! But it’s also possible that your body is stressed or you’re thinking of doing something else other than sleeping. Try an app to help you sleep or a few of these simple tips for a better night’s sleep.
Keep a water bottle with you.
Hydrating is one of the best things you can do for your health, especially when it’s easy to forget to drink water and become dehydrated when you’re busy. Find a reusable water bottle that you love and fill it up at least six times a day. Choose a bottle size that works for you—the average person should drink 8 cups of water a day. If it helps, set a periodic reminder on your phone to drink from your bottle.
Make good food choices.
Fast food and processed snacks might be quick and satisfying in a moment, but they’ll work against your healthy lifestyle goals. Instead of going out to eat, meal-prep on the weekends so that you have healthy lunches throughout the week. Also, avoid the potato chips and candy bars, and snack on granola bars, fruit slices, veggies and dip, and trail mix instead. Nutritious food keeps your body energized, but if you also need an occasional boost of nutrition for your immune system, try Vitalized Immunity™.
Choose to eat healthy at restaurants.
If you have to eat out, you can still make healthy choices. Most restaurants and eateries nowadays have nutritional information for their food. They also tend to provide lighter or healthier options for health-conscious individuals. Of course, it’s okay to treat yourself every now and then, but take advantage of the selection provided to you! Your meals should resemble a rainbow—meaning there are many different colors on your plate from fruits, veggies, nuts, carbs, and protein.
Schedule your fitness and workouts.
Working out can seem like it takes up too much time when you don’t plan for it. Block out a few days and times in the week for 30–60 minutes of exercise. It’s up to you what kind of workout you want to do, but keep the time consistent! Getting into a regular habit of working out will help you commit to it in the long run. If you can’t make it to the gym or the weather isn’t the best, work out at home! There are many amazing YouTube channels and apps devoted to guided workouts you can do without leaving the house.
Join a sports team.
If working out on your own is hard, try a team sport. You can be in a sports league or a league with your coworkers; joining a team that regularly plays their sport will help you keep a consistent schedule for your active lifestyle. Also, when it comes to accountability, it helps to have a little peer pressure from the team that’s counting on you.
Incorporate health into office life.
If your job has you at a desk most of the day, there are still things you can do to maintain your health at work. There are little ways to promote more physical activity in the workplace, like walking or biking to work if possible, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and going on periodic walks through the office. You can also store some healthy snacks for your work. Reach out to your HR department about possibly providing healthier vending machine options, setting up a fitness class, or doing an employee planking challenge.
Don’t be discouraged by your jam-packed schedule; your health doesn’t have to take a toll from the busyness of life. Try a few of these tips and continue living a healthier life!
