As much as I love the fall, it is also my busiest time of the year, both in my business, and at home. With the start of school, my daughter has homework every day, meetings after school, soccer practice, and weekend games. It’s also super busy for me at work. I attend the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo every year around this time, and this year it falls back to back with an annual vacation I take with my girlfriends. Halloween is a really big deal at my house, too. My husband turns our garage into a haunted house and it takes an entire week to set it up (let’s not even talk about the mess of putting it all away). Shortly thereafter is the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving travel and the onset of holiday shopping.
Did I just totally stress you out?
I may not have 100% control over my schedule during this time, but I do have total control over how I respond to being busy and how well I take care of myself. The worst thing you can do is let stress take over your life and further tap you out.
The big question then becomes, how can we respond to the demands of our busy lives, still be grateful for what we have and are able to accomplish, and stay healthy and happy in the process?
Here’s my strategy:
Keep Up My Exercise Routine.
Exercise is important for many reasons. For one, it’s a stress reliever. If you exercise in the morning, you get a daily release of endorphins that help to jump start your day. It’s also a confidence builder. When you see and feel yourself getting stronger, it makes a difference in how you feel about your body. Exercise can also be meditative. As a runner, I crave that time I get to think about things while moving my body. I have solved many a problem hitting the pavement!
In the past, the first thing to go when I got busy was my gym time. Not anymore. Over time, I have learned that exercise is non-negotiable. I work with a trainer twice per week and right now this works for me. As things get busy and the weather becomes a factor, I may not get outside to do that run, but I will always keep my appointment.
Get Enough Sleep.
Sleep is so important for normal, healthy brain function. Sometimes I burn the candle at both ends; I get up early and go to bed very late. Many people even think they don’t “need” that much sleep. This could not be further from the truth. Sleep is regenerating and studies show not getting enough can cause you to gain weight. It also creates a reliance on coffee and other stimulants to help get through the day. This masks how your lack of sleep is really affecting your body. Remember, nobody needs coffee, but we all need more sleep!
Create Rituals.
Rituals keep me grounded. Doing one or two simple things the same way each day provides consistency and makes me feel less out of control, especially when life gets hectic. Two rituals I have are drinking a glass of warm water with fresh lemon upon waking and steeping a soothing mug of Sleepytime herbal tea before bed. These two daily practices allow me to start and end my day peacefully.
Take My Supplements.
Even though I’m a nutritionist, stress effects my diet. I tend to fall back on two really bad habits. I either don’t eat enough during the day or my creativity goes straight out the window, leaving me eating the same 2-3 meals over and over. This lack of variety and poor intake causes fatigue, as my body feels like it’s running on empty. For a boost of nutrient support, I make sure to take my multivitamin daily. I also take a probiotic for added immunity and Omega 3 for keeping inflammation at bay.