Between Zoom calls, cooking dinner for hungry kids, and packing for your 6:00am flight, it can be very difficult to maintain healthy habits. The temptation to order yet another takeout meal is strong these days.
But even for the busiest parents, workers, and travelers, there are ways to prioritize your health. Find a few tips and tools below to level up your self-care game during busy times.
#1 Sleep Better on the Go
All you frequent flyers out there know how hard it is to catch Z’s when you’re cramped in economy. If your eye bags aren’t enough proof, many studies show sleep is crucial to lowering stress and boosting energy.
Here are few tools to help you become Sleeping Beauty:
- Supplements – For time-zone hoppers, melatonin can be particularly helpful to adjust sleep patterns. For simple relaxation, travel-ready CBD capsules can lower stress and help you conquer that redeye flight.
- Sleep Masks – Nail that Breakfast at Tiffany’s look and slip on a flirty sleep mask to block out your neighbor’s annoying phone screen light.
- Earplugs – Earplugs don’t have to be the cheap, ill-fitting pair you receive on a flight. Check out some quality plugs that will block out any pesky overhead announcements (or crying babies).
#2 Use a Planner or Task Manager
Maybe your third grade teacher was onto something. A planner can transform your time management skills and keep those to-do lists from becoming things-I-didn’t-do lists.
Putting pen to paper can help you better visualize your goals. Try out a daily planner to maximize your hours. If you’re more of a DIY kind of busy-body, try your hand at a bullet journal—after all, customization is on the rage these days!
For the high-tech folks out there, there are tons of smartphone apps that will help you bang out those five-minute chores.
#3 Exercise Smarter, not Harder
Working out is probably not the first self-care habit you think of dropping in during busy times. After a ten-hour day, whose first instinct is to do a burpee?
The key is: work smarter, not harder. Whether you’re at the office or in a hotel room, here are some ways to maximize your limited time when sweating it out:
- HIIT Workouts – With minimal equipment and repeated movements, high intensity interval training can be done almost anywhere.
- Travel Equipment – If you’re on the road frequently, consider investing in some portable training equipment, like jump ropes and resistance bands.
- Fitness Trackers – “Getting my steps in” is a phrase often met with eyerolls. But for workers with limited time, fitness trackers can help keep your health in line and are shown to increase motivation.
#4 Meal Prep is Your Friend
We aren’t talking dry chicken breast and flavorless broccoli here. Meal prep opens the doors to a magical world of nutritious possibilities, all while freeing up precious time in your day.
Cook a few tasty, healthy recipes ahead of time for easy weeknight meals. And if mornings got you running out the door, prep some breakfast dishes to keep you fueled.
And don’t forget: snacks are a must! Put down the chips and pick up something a little more nourishing (think leaves and vines, not vending machines).
Take One for the Road
If life has you running on fumes, don’t lose hope. Sometimes, the smallest self-care changes can make enormous waves in your mood, health, and energy. By adopting a few of these wellness tips, you will be more than ready to tackle any jam-packed day thrown your way.
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