When you have a busy schedule, trying to stay healthy may not always be at the top of your priority list. That doesn’t mean, though, that your health isn’t very important. While it may not always be easy to look after your health, especially when you have a hectic work schedule, or you work long hours, the reality is that looking after your health is essential. If you’re looking for some ways to try and improve your health while still juggling a busy schedule, here are some things you can try.
1. Try Meal Planning and Prepping
For many, one of the most difficult parts of trying to improve their health while working is eating the right kinds of foods. When you don’t have a lot of time, it can be easy and tempting to keep grabbing quick snacks, rather than preparing healthy and nutritious meals for yourself. While quick, packaged snacks may seem easier at the moment, the reality is that they can be damaging to your health and energy levels, which will ultimately impact your ability to function well at work.
One straightforward way to help make eating healthy at work easier is to start meal planning. When you meal plan, you can more easily prepare food for yourself throughout the week and ensure that you are eating healthier foods. Along with taking time to plan out your meals regularly, meal prepping can be another simple way to make sure that you always have food ready to go. Many who meal prep take time out on a Sunday to put together lunches and dinners for themselves throughout the rest of the week, that they then store in the refrigerator or freezer until they need it. Not only can meal prepping help you eat better foods and save you time, but for many it can help save money as well.
2. Try Healthier Diet Options
If you’re trying to eat healthier but are struggling to do so, it’s okay to take the process one step at a time, and start eating healthier foods gradually. A good place to start improving your diet is with your snacks. While many may feel it’s easier to grab a packaged snack as they head out the door, the truth is that there are many healthier options that are just as easy to grab. Instead of grabbing a granola bar high in sugars, for example, getting a banana or apple can be just as quick, and much healthier for you as well. Also, while you are swapping out unhealthy foods for healthier ones, adding a supplement to your diet like nucific
may be helpful for boosting your health as well.
Additionally, if you are just getting started in the process of improving your health and your habits, incremental changes are often the best. When you make smaller changes over a longer period of time, especially when it comes to your diet, these changes are often easier to sustain. This means you have a better likelihood of making your new, better habits permanent ones.
3. Stay Hydrated
Another important part of staying healthy while you’re busy is staying hydrated. What some don’t realize is that dehydration can have a range of negative side effects, not just feeling a little thirsty or parched. In fact, many who are experiencing dehydration may be attributing what they’re feeling to something else. One top symptom of dehydration is headaches. It can also cause grogginess and irritability, and it may even cause feelings of hunger, as your body can sometimes confuse signals. This means that at times when you are in fact thirsty, your body may cause you to feel as if you are hungry instead, which can lead to overeating.
When it comes to staying hydrated, there is no one set amount that will work for everyone. However, if you’re not sure where to start, one good rule of thumb is to divide your body weight in half, and then drink that many ounces of water throughout the day. Another tip for staying hydrated is to make sure that you are drinking your water slowly and in small increments. If you chug water or drink it quickly, it will tend to go right through you, and may not have the same hydrating effects that it would have if you drank it at a slower pace.
4. Squeeze In Some Exercise
Taking time out for exercise may feel difficult when you have a hectic schedule, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Even though some may think you need to put in hours at the gym to see results, the reality is that you can see significant changes when you work out as little as 15 to 20 minutes a day. By trying to stick to a schedule when you are home, it can be easier to carve out a little time each day for some exercise, whether it’s a walk, a short yoga routine, or some aerobics.
If you truly can’t make time when you are at home, finding ways to squeeze some exercise in at work can be another option. If your lunch break is long enough, taking a walk during it can be a great way to get some movement into your day, especially if it’s a time when you would normally be sitting or spending time scrolling through social media. Another way to get some movement into your day is to try certain exercises at your desk, like chair yoga for example. Yet another option could be to eliminate your chair altogether, and to spend more time standing while at work.
5. Watch Your Weekend Habits
Weekends may be a time to cut loose, but the truth is what you do on the weekends will often affect you during the week. Feeling exhausted on a Monday from things that you did over the weekend, whether it was staying out late and drinking, or just staying up late in general can put you at a disadvantage, and impact your productivity levels for the rest of the week.
While it’s important to do things that you enjoy in your free time, considering how it will affect you throughout the rest of the week can be a good idea, and help you to feel better at work. Not only that, but your body often functions better when it is on a regular schedule, particularly when it comes to sleeping so trying to stick to the same schedule on the weekends that you have during the week can be an effective way to help maintain better overall health.
6. Work On Your Sleep Hygiene
Getting good sleep can feel difficult at times, especially when you are frequently busy and have a lot on your mind. However, just because it isn’t always easy to get the sleep you need doesn’t mean that it isn’t important. By doing things like cutting down on screen time before bed, as well as making sure that your bedroom is dark, cool, and free of noise, you can help improve your sleep hygiene and ultimately quality of sleep.
7. Some Last Thoughts
When you have a hectic schedule, staying healthy may not always feel easy. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. By doing things like trying meal prepping, eating healthier foods, and watching your weekend habits, you can help improve your health and feel better no matter now busy you are.
