Feeling the weight of all I need to do today, I am tempted to forgo my morning workout. My mind toggles between thoughts of 30 minutes on the elliptical and jumping straight into my work. The elliptical eventually wins.
It’s Monday morning, and I sluggishly step onto the machine, still tired after a full weekend. My arms and legs gradually gain momentum pumping furiously for the 30 minutes. I end the workout more energized than when I started. With a little fist pump in the air and a silent “who-ahh,” I congratulate myself on following though with my workout. This starts my day off with a tone of success, and I am able to immerse myself in my work with greater focus and clarity.
It may be hard to believe that SPENDING time on something actually INCREASES your time, but, in effect, it does. The frequency of good habits creates positive momentum and increased energy. This results in a greater capacity to get more done.
Health is a vitally important commodity that is easy to neglect. If the button popped off your jeans the moment you ate a doughnut, or if you couldn’t get out of bed in the morning if you missed exercising the previous day, it would be easy to make better choices. However, the effects of good or bad health habits are rarely instantaneous. But, just like all natural laws, the consequences eventually follow, and what you can do tomorrow is greatly influenced by the health choices you make today.
A few years ago I helped my Mom and Dad build a retaining wall in their back yard. I was tired after hours of hauling and placing paving blocks, and I was sure my 84-year-old mom, who was working beside me, would be exhausted. I asked her if she needed to rest and she promptly replied, “No, I’ve been lifting weights, and it’s paying off.” Years of healthy habits, lifting weights being one of them, contributed to her being able to lift concrete paving blocks hour after hour, day after day.
Everyone’s health needs are different. Create your own, customized health plan using the six suggestions below. Consult your doctor before making changes if you have any health concerns.
- Set one or two reasonable health goals. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many changes at once.
- Schedule appropriate, regular exercise.
- Plan healthy meals and snacks, and make sure you drink enough water.
- Get consistent, adequate rest.
- Use a health tracker to chart your daily progress.
- Schedule a time each week to evaluate what is working well for you and what you would like to change. Make adjustments as needed.
You may be weighed down by the demands placed on you and may think you can’t add another thing, but think again. Increase your physical capacity and set the tone for your success by incorporating positive health routines into your day. You will soon be doing your own happy dance when you take the time to take care of yourself. Watch as your energy and productivity increase, and notice the positive effects that spill over into other areas of your life. Who-ahh!
Pamela Adams Henrie is the owner of The Success Choice and creator of “The Woman’s Success Planner” and “The Choosing Joy in the Journey Journal.” For more information, or to contact Pamela, log on to her website at TheSuccessChoice.com.
This article was originally published on July 08, 2014 in The Daily Herald’s MomClick.
To read the published article, click here.