Ok girl, disclaimer…
WE’RE ALL BUSY!
It’s the excuse we use at almost every stage of our lives.
I remember when I was childless, working full time and planning our wedding. I was just SO BUSY! Even before that, not planning a wedding, my social life plus dating and working made me just SO BUSY.
Then I had Bo and I felt like this was what I had been waiting for.
You see, my whole adult life I thought that when you had kids you got to slow down and not be SO BUSY, so I had been looking forward to this time when I would no longer be chained to the drag of full time work. I would wake up and tend to my small infant, glide into the kitchen to cook a nourishing breakfast for the family and then once my handsome husband had left for work I would tidy, spend time with bub, maybe do some craft, see some friends and then get home in the early afternoon to prepare dinner.
(cue hysterical laughter)
Now, I have two children, one of which is still breastfeeding, a full time business to run, a husband at home that distracts me often (you’ve seen him, right?), a body that needs movement and care, friends to give love to and still a house to keep tidy, clothes to be washed, food to be cooked and all that jazz…
YET I’M SURPRISINGLY NOT AS OVERWHELMED AS I WAS IN MY EARLY TWENTIES.
Don’t get me wrong, I have days where I think it’s all too much, have a meltdown and cry in the corner for 10 minutes. But once I put my big girl pants back on I can see quite clearly that I have lots of it pretty much down.
WHY?
No, I’m not superwoman, I also don’t have staff or hired help. But I’m freaking organised. And that’s not only a skill but a necessity in the life of a woman these days.
So I wanted to share with you my top 5 tips for keeping your health on track when you fall into the busy trap!
ROUTINE ROUTINE ROUTINE
Yes, my husband did write a book called Rule Your Routine (and if you have a husband with a short attention span who doesn’t listen to your well meaning advice, buy him this!) and he has learnt how to utilise a routine to have your best life. He totally learnt that from me and is taking credit for it but that’s ok, I’m not mad about it. But in all honesty, creating rituals and routines in your life make SUCH A DIFFERENCE!
We started by making Sunday morning our Market Day. Having two children and being a couple that doesn’t love a cocktail we’re normally awake up and early on a Sunday, so we head to the markets and get staples for the week. This routine has a knock on effect because when putting away the food, I clear out anything that is taking up space in the kitchen, I wash and prep what I can in that moment and I make some healthy raw treats while I’m in my element. So by mid morning I’ve got a fridge full of healthy options, a clear space for the week ahead and it was a fun event with my family.
Another ritual I have is scheduling in my workouts on a Sunday night. I go through Mind Body Connect on my phone and choose the best times for my Yoga and Strength training so I know it's going to get done that week.
DON’T OVERCOMPLICATE
As fun as Pinterest is for finding recipes, there is no benefit in finding a recipe with 87 ingredients that you need to make time to cook between work and sleep time. That’s just silly and not impressive to our significant other (trust me, I’ve tested that theory). There are so many simple, delicious, nourishing recipes in The Health Hub and I believe the best way to be healthy is to make it easy.
My friend Rachel gave me the best advice ever, to print out 4-5 recipes that are simple to make using ingredients that you will always have on hand and keep them on the fridge for those moments of “What on earth am I making for dinner!”
I know that I always have thinks like coconut cream, tomatoes, my fave spices and certain vegetables in the kitchen so I have recipes that suit that for when I don’t want to use my brain.
ASK FOR HELP
This is my favourite piece of advice to give, ever! I even made a whole bunch of mamas at an event I was speaking at last month yell “HELP” at the top of their lungs because I feel like we're just so not comfortable asking for it when we need it!
But when it comes to organisation, the busy trap and wanting to be healthy, ask for help! Find like minded friends who live close and organise that you’ll each prep a big batch of a healthy stew or soup to share around each week. Swap baby sitting duties with other mums so you just get that time to do the things that you want to do in the home. Get a cleaner if that’s financially an option. Stop trying to do everything on your own!!!
CREATE LESS MESS
This was something that seemed really simple to me in theory, but was actually harder than I expected. It was the little things I wasn’t doing like putting clothes away properly if I wasn’t wearing them. Rinsing dishes instead of just leaving them in the sink to get crusty, putting my runners and gym towel away and out of the way when I got home from the gym. Sometimes it’s the case of an extra few steps to keep yourself organised and your home tidy. I teach my kids that they have to clean up their toys before moving to another activity, so I do the same. If I’m moving from the kitchen to do work in my office I clean up the kitchen first.
SET REMINDERS
When you’ve got lots on, it’s easy to forget things!
I set little reminders and big. Some little examples are each Monday I’m reminded to water the plants, check my Moontime Diary, email my Gratitude Gang about Team Training and things like that. Then my bigger reminders are things like my yearly mole patrol at the Doctor (I am a real mole), Dentist check up, seeing if I can get a better rate on my insurance or private health and the things that don’t happen often but need to be remembered.
I also have birthdays in my calendar but the alarm is set for the week prior so I’m reminded to get a card, organise to see the person and make them feel special.
This list isn’t my complete list of tasks that keep me sane, I mean organised, but it is some of the most important. And starting small is ALWAYS the way to make sustainable changes in your life.
Tell me in the comments below, what are you going to implement so that you can feel a little more calm in your full schedule?
