Three of my clients claim their lives were forever changed when they “boundaried” their mornings for self-care activities like walks, food prep, journaling, and conscious breathing. They all contend their wellness is better because of many facets of their lifestyle outside of – yes – diet and exercise.
How?
All three of them were excited to help me share with the world that you can feel much better with lifestyle strategies like sleep and stress. They all three, too, individually told me their early mornings are non-negotiable blocks for them.
How in the world could your calendar have ANYTHING to do with how fit, how strong, and how good you feel in your body? Before we get to the answer, let’s first define holistic wellness, which is what we are so passionate about at Alexandria Wellness.
We believe in an active physical wellness program yet also fully embrace the integrative health philosophy that our physical wellness hinges on our psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being as well. Each of the spokes of the Wellness Wheel are integrated with one another; therefore, it is the SMALL habits we create in each of these areas that have a lasting impact on the others around the wheel.
Wellness to us means you feel good in your body, and you work daily on those issues you don’t “see,” like your stress and sleep and, yes, even your calendar.
And how do we all get there, from our perspective?
Our daily small habits over time help us with the following: physical movement, relationship with food, stress resilience, quality and ample sleep, and, yes, a wellness-centric calendar.
Back to the to-do list. Wait, how does a “to-do” list have ANYTHING to do with your physical wellness?
Is it possible you focus on your exercise and your food and not the way you build and manage your calendar? If so, you are seriously not alone.
Well, my friend, let me help you see how your calendar is likely the problem.
1. You give your time away to others. Over the years, I have learned the importance of saying “no.” It’s easy to overcommit ourselves and say “yes” to every request or invitation. It feels really good when others “need” us because it elevates our feel-good hormone dopamine. Yet this is something that can wreak havoc on your well-being. Say “yes” to the important things that align with your values, and say “no” to the nonessential. I realize it is not easy to do when we work for others and when we have children or others who rely on us. Yet, be judicious about your “yeses,” and this will free up your schedule for things that YOU want to do.
2. You don’t preserve your mornings for you. The morning is the time we feel most rested, refreshed, and energized. So why not channel those feelings into wellness-centric activities before the busy day ahead? For some of us, this is the only time of day over which we have full control. Keeping the morning time focused on your needs can set the tone for the rest of the day and can determine whether your days are wellness centered or chaotic and stressful.
3. You forget maintenance tasks bleed your time. Ten minutes here, 15 minutes there. Daily tasks add up without us realizing it. House maintenance, getting ready for the day, laundry, getting dressed, feeding pets, walking pets, driving. These tasks may seem small at the time, yet by the end of the day, many of us have spent hours on these things and wonder where the day went. Be mindful of where you are spending your time, set timers or schedule “task blocks” if needed (and stick to them), and add some wellness in where you can.
4. You get easily distracted from whatever you’re focusing on. We are connected 24/7. Phones, emails, you name it. It can be hard to focus when we are constantly hearing new emails in the inbox, phones going off, or just the “noise” in our head of thinking, planning, fretting, and problem-solving. This results in short and simple tasks taking much longer than anticipated. Focusing on the task at hand will ensure you stay on schedule, remain productive throughout the day, and have more time for things like wellness and FUN!
5. You don’t put your wellness on your calendar. I’ve said it many times. If your wellness is not scheduled, it won’t happen. When we are running around from one thing to the next all day long, it’s easy to get to the end of the day and realize you “forgot” or “didn’t have time” to take care of yourself. Scheduling your wellness also offers some accountability. If a workout is scheduled, it’s much more likely that it will happen!
We want to help you (and your team!) take charge of your health and wellness and make it FUN. Here are two ways you can get started today. If you’re interested in joining our Small Group Concierge program, email us at contact@adriencotton.com. We have almost filled our 6am session and are quickly filling our lunchtime group. You’ll have a built-in community of others seeking holistic wellness!
