Step by step plan and productivity tips on how to put yourself first.

“I was so busy this week.” “Work was crazy today.” “I feed my kids but have no time for my breakfast, I grab a coffee and keep going.” Coaches hear this all the time at Vital Body and many dieters are too busy to take the time for themselves. We live in busy times and I’m not sure this is going to change any day soon. It takes real effort to slow down and have time to take care of yourself. Most people stop to take care of themselves only when they get really sick. Hence why we have put together productivity tips on how to put yourself first from years of coaching dieters through this important topic.

What do we mean by time for you? Time to take care of your body, heart and soul. Time to reflect, time to be present with the people you are with. Time to sleep in or take a nap. Time to make delicious healthy food, time to do nothing. Time to sit down eat and have a conversation. Time to get to work without rushing. Time to play, work and sleep well. You feel balanced and have no regrets about how you are spending your time.

When you look back at your life it seems silly to have been too busy to look after yourself. Too busy to slow down and deeply enjoy each moment. The consequences of not taking care of yourself can also be very negative for your health.

What to do? Step by step plan on how to put yourself first.

1. First you must decide if you are ready to do something about your situation. Nobody is going to come along and fix it for you and I doubt your boss will start giving you less work. What do you want for you and your life?

2. Start with small consistent changes. Like waking up five minutes earlier to simply do some breathing/meditation/stretching. Small changes that you do daily can have a much larger impact then trying to make drastic changes that you can not sustain for the long term. NOTE: for some of you, it’s time for big changes like looking for a new job, downsizing, stop working on weekends and take back control of your life.

3. Create a plan for 6 weeks and then make a note to evaluate and see what’s working and what you want to do next. For increasing productivity long term, six week plans are long enough to build a habit but not too long to seem impossible. For example, decide that you will meal plan each week on Sunday, or that you will take a 15 minute walk at lunch 3x/week, or that you will read your child a book of their choice every day, or that you will turn off your phone at home for two hours, or that you will have a date night each week. Pick something that is a step in the right direction but not crazy like going to bootcamp twice a day.

4. We often talk about NOT having enough time. Well it’s simple math: there are 24 hours in a day. Anything you do takes time. So if you want to make dinner and sit down and enjoy it you need an hour (or more depending on the recipes). If you want to go to a yoga class you need 2 hours pretty much. Time to arrive, time to do the class and time to shower and get home. Most people have about 30 hours of stuff they would like to accomplish in a day, and that does not include the 6-8 hours of sleep they need in the 24 hours period. Most people are living in a fantasy about time and how it works. SOLUTION: Test it out. Write out all you plan to do tomorrow and write down how long each thing will take including travel time, prep time. Even checking email takes time. Then you will be forced to see reality and you will have to decide how you want to spend your time. No more complaining that there is not enough time. You need to take control and realize we all have 24 hours per day and you can choose what you do and don’t do.

5. Okay step 4 was a bit preachy, but seriously, blaming time is futile. Life is way more fun when you take control and responsibility, you end up with choices and power. Describe how you’d like your life to look and start taking small steps to get there. It may take a year but I promise you the journey is worth it. You will have things in your life that nurture you, you will have moments to cherish forever and you can say goodbye to sounding like a chicken running around with it’s head cut off.

6. RESOURCES to help you slow down and be more mindful:
slowmovement.com
gettingthingsdone.com
plumvillage.com

At Vital Body we work with clients that are ready to put themselves first and want to feel great in their body. Our certified coaches help clients reach their goals by providing support, education and encouragement. We gently point out your excuses for not staying on track and help you redesign your life so you can love your body, be healthy and vibrant.

“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.” John Lennon

Zan Romeder
Owner and Intake Coach
Vital Body Weight Loss Centre