Maintaining healthy habits when life gets busy…

How to maintain healthy habits when life gets busy:

The start of the year is, for most of us, a time of putting into place intentions and habits that we hope to continue throughout the year. It is often relatively easy at the beginning as many are still on holidays; there are no school runs or lunch boxes to juggle and the Christmas rush is over. Many of my clients report feeling that life is expansive and spacious, that new beginnings are everywhere and that they are floating in a healthy bubble of fresh salads, exercise regimes and positive thinking.

However, as school term begins and life resumes its familiar grind, often these healthy habits are not as easy to fit in with the time constraints of life’s busy-ness. Here are some ways we set ourselves up for success and continue our good intentions throughout the year:

1.     Start by being clear on your priorities. What are the healthy habits that make a real, palpable difference to how you feel? There is little benefit in stretching yourself trying to keep up habits that aren’t that important to you or don’t make an impact in your life.

For example, including 6 cups of vegetables per day may ensure your bowels move regularly, brighten your skin, reduce bloating and help you feel generally awesome. Or limiting dairy in your diet may reduce sinus congestion and prevent acne break-outs – keep that habit in the mix! However, making your own juice every day might be less effective for you if setting up and washing the juicer every day stresses you out and you dislike the taste of kale juice. Be clear on what works and feels good, and ditch anything that doesn’t feel sustainable.

To gain clarity, consider writing a list and getting clear on what is meaningful for you.  I often give my clients a Food and Symptom diary to complete for a fortnight so they can track and work out what is effective and what is not.

2.     Once you know what healthy habits are sustainable and work well for you, create the framework in your life to ensure these habits can actually happen when life is busy.  Rather than leaving it to chance, be prepared.

For healthy habits that are dietary based – like your 6 cups of vegetables or your dairy-free options, rather than hope you will make it to the supermarket, perhaps order a grocery box to be delivered to your door or visit the local farmers’ markets as your weekly ritual so you know that you have the resources needed to reach your health goals.

Say your healthy habits are centred around activities such as exercise or a meditation practice, schedule that time in your diary or organise somebody (ahead of time) to watch the kids so you know for certain you have that window of time to go for that run, attend your favourite yoga class or simply enjoy a window of quiet to sip tea in peace and journal.

3.     Stay committed while also being compassionate.  This is probably one of the trickiest life balances to achieve; how can you keep yourself committed and accountable with your goals while also being kind and guilt-free when life happens?

Well known meditation teacher, Tara Brach, once said “Feeling compassion for ourselves in no way releases us from responsibility for our actions. Rather, it releases us from the self-hatred that prevents us from responding to our life with clarity and balance.”  Rather than using our well-laid plans for healthy habits as something we can beat ourselves up about when we don’t tick all the boxes, let’s remember to pat ourselves on the back when we do make them happen and forgive ourselves when life gets in the way.

Here are a few more ideas to get you started:

·      On a Sunday afternoon, get ready for the week. Slice up carrot, celery, cucumber stick to have on hand with a tub of hummus. An easy snack that will avoid you reaching for crackers or chips.

·      Make a chicken, beef or vegetable broth in the slow cooker, so you can supercharge your meals – cook any rice or quinoa dishes in the broth to add extra nutrition, or add to soups or any other dish that uses a stock. What you don’t use, freeze in jars for future use.

·      Planning for a morning exercise session, make sure your clothes are ready the night before so you can wake up, get dressed and go. Even better, commit to exercise with a friend; we tend to be more reliable when we have somebody external to be accountable to.

·      Place an inspiring picture or quote on your bathroom mirror that reminds you what you are working towards.