Time is a precious gift. Though it can feel scarce at times, making self-care a priority allows us to be our best selves for others. In seasons when responsibilities crowd out our wellness routines, creativity and balance can see us through. Daily health habits keep us grounded when life is demanding, and even small moments of self-nurturing renewal help us to stay present to serve our loved ones. By valuing each day’s moments mindfully, we can manage our time and intentions with wisdom. Listed below are a few strategies to maintain goals for staying healthy and well.
- Meal prep. Once you purchase your weekly groceries, set aside time over the weekend to clean, chop, and prep food making it easier to grab and go. You can also cook larger quantities of soups, protein sources, or vegetables and place them in ready to go containers. Some perfect examples include:
- Vegetable soups
- Grilled chicken, pork, or beef
- A variety of salads
- Cheese squares
- Pods of nut butter or peanut butter to go on apples, celery, or alone.
- Sliced vegetables such as cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, or celery, which can be eaten alone, ready for a salad, or with hummus.
- Sauteed or baked sweet potatoes
- Boiled or deviled eggs
- Drink water. Your goal should be to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Grab your favorite cup and keep water with you. Put all those pretty new tumblers to good use! This will most likely increase your bathroom trips, but consider it as an increase in steps per day.
- Find an accountability partner with similar goals. Staying motivated is hard sometimes!! Have that go-to person to share your wins and losses with. Having a partner will help keep you moving toward shared goals.
- Find ways to move.
- Take the stairs.
- Use half of your allotted lunch time to walk outside. Keep an extra pair of workout clothes and shoes at the office in case unexpected openings appear in your schedule.
- Set movement goals you can do quickly each hour. For example, take 2 minutes to do 10-20 squats, wall push-ups, desk planks, or seated leg extensions.
Here is to a successful and healthy 2024.
