4 ways to improve work-life balance through health and fitness
Working late nights and early mornings can really take a lot out of us working women. From organizing events to being on call, having a demanding job requires a lot of focus and effort. In addition, you want to be socially available and not miss out. We stay out late with our friends, all while calculating the number of hours before we have to be back at the office. It can be exhausting.
While you may feel like you’re burning both ends of the wick, don’t feel like you have to sacrifice your quality of life. We deserve to have a social and healthy life. It’s possible to maintain it all, but not at the expense of your health and wellbeing. Sounds strange, but some days we have to put ourselves first. After all, we’re helping our companies, our coworkers, family and friends, so why not give ourselves a little TLC every now and then?
Take a step back, and improve your life balance through health and fitness the following ways:
1. Take a “mental health day.”
If you’re feeling worn out, set aside a weekend, or a personal day if you can, to not do anything. We call them “mental health days,” and they’re exactly as they sound. Do something to put your mind at ease and to de-stress. It can be anything that resets your mindset, from visiting your esthetician to simply sitting outside and enjoying nature. Treat yourself to your favorite thing that rejuvenates you, and carve out that time just for you.
2. Pair fitness with a social setting.
If you’re not a gym rat, try attending a group fitness class. By pairing a workout in a social setting, it creates motivation to keep yourself healthy with likeminded people. Not to mention, you can learn from people outside of your typical social circles. It’s a little known fact that people push themselves a little bit more when working out in groups as opposed to doing it alone. So sign up for that yoga class, join a walking/running club to get some cardio or get back into a routine that best fits you. Who knows, you may make some new friends while you’re at it!
3. Schedule a doctor appointment.
When we get busy, we sometimes forget about our bodies. But ignoring the signs of stress and doing too much can lead to other health issues. Knowing that our health is in good order sets up everything else we do for success. For your own sake, check in with a medical professional to make sure all is working and in good order. In addition to identifying any potential problems, it will also take a lot off of your mind to either know you are in good health or to get yourself there.
4. Eat something in the morning.
Not eating breakfast is a huge mistake. Why? Because your body is running on empty as soon as the day starts, which means you’re really limiting yourself. Don’t be a trooper by trying to stick it out till lunch. Eat something that will stick with you (and no, a cup of coffee alone does not count). Try prepping some fresh fruit for complex carbs or oatmeal with nuts. If you’re not a fan of waking up early for the whole scrambled eggs routine, make it the night before so it’s ready to go. Check out our other tips for eating healthy throughout the day.
Whatever you do to work toward balancing health and wellness, the key is to listen to your body and respond compassionately. We are complex beings with complicated schedules and busy lives, but it’s ok to unplug every now and then to tend to your health and fitness.
How do you balance work and play through health and fitness?
