You know what I’m talking about. Between the massive to do lists at home and work, taking care of the needs of everyone else and trying to keep it all straight. It’s craziness!
But I’m too busy!
The very idea of adding healthy habits like regular exercise, better nutrition, decreasing toxic chemicals that we eat and breath … it feels daunting if not impossible, right?
I felt that way too. Many years ago, I decided it would be brilliant to pile pre-med classes on top of an already full load of communications courses while I had a full time cubicle job. I was the modern superwoman and could do it all! Not super smart. I got through it all, but at a price — I put my health dead last. I seriously don’t even want to admit how many times I ate dinner out of a vending machine. Ugh.
I thought it was temporary, but that was before graduate school even started. And it’s a funny thing about habits like these: they seem to snowball. That habit of putting myself last — and feeling like there was no other option — caught up with me.
You first, then everyone else.
I had to learn the hard way. It wasn’t until I started putting my needs FIRST (which was a lot harder than it seems!) that I finally started to regain more control over my everyday life and my health.
And I discovered a secret. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you are no longer in “putting out fires” mode. When you put yourself first — you have a clearer head and a happy, healthier body that works with you rather than against you.
This is not something you need to accomplish with perfection overnight. Baby steps! Some of the smallest little shifts can make a world of difference, and once these littler things become more ingrained habits, you can leverage them to make bigger changes — and it DOES get exponentially easier with time and practice. (I didn’t believe it either.)
A couple things:
Change certainly doesn’t happen over night, and there are no “shoulds” here, but here are a few little things you can sneak in each day to help you de-stress. Less stress = better health.
1) Breathe. I know you’ve heard this one before. It’s simple, yet powerful. When you start to feel overwhelmed, give yourself just a small moment to quiet your mind and focus only on your breath. Take three long, deep breaths all the way into your belly and exhale slowly. Do this three times, giving all your attention to just this simple task. It’s like a mini-vacation from your busy thoughts.
2) Slow down. This one still makes me giggle when I write it because I have to remind myself to slow down about a thousand times a day … but it really helps. You can accomplish more with less time by slowing down in the moment, really focusing on the task at hand and getting it done right, then move on to the next task and repeat.
Even when you are multi-tasking you can really only do one thing at a time … allow time to slow down a little bit in the moment instead of rushing through everything. You will feel more calm, your body will appreciate it, you’ll likely be breathing easier and all of that equates to less stress.
3) Put yourself and your needs first. There is a reason that the airlines teach us to put the oxygen masks on ourselves before the children or other people. We tend to get this one backwards a lot. When your needs are met and you are rocking your best, healthiest self … you end up with all the energy in the world to lovingly and happily support your loved ones. And you set an example for how to meet your own needs: bonus.
What about you?
Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and putting your needs last? How have you found ways to cope?
{ 1 comment }
