Timing is Everything: I’m getting married in October. As you can imagine, it’s been a struggle in the midst of all the chaos to find a balance between working and living. Time management has become my mantra. Without it, I would be lost, unable to function and certainly unable to sustain some of the essential healthy behaviors that keep me sane. “Time management” is the term your mother used when you were up until midnight before a huge project was due, and more readily the term you use daily when you look at your “to do” list with only an hour of free time to get things done.
How does time management relate to health and wellness? Stress, inactivity, nutritional choices and lack of a work-life balance are all the result of not fine tuning your time management skills. So, how can you find this balance between work and life and still succeed in both?
1. Plan your meals on Sundays. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll be more likely to let fatigue and emotion dictate your eating habits. If you have to stop for takeout, these are some of the more healthy options we have found:
• Pei Wei: Ask for your meat “stock velvet,” order brown rice instead of white and double up on the veggies! The Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls are incredible, and only 50 calories a roll.
• Kalamatas or Athens Family Restaurant: Try the chicken kabob or “Greek style chicken” at Athens. The Great Greek Salad with grilled vegetables at Kalamatas is wonderful! Beware of overindulging on pita bread (even if it’s wheat).
• Baja Burrito: This Berry Hill treasure offers more healthy options than many other Mexican spots. Try the black bean salad. Hold the chips and cheese. Use their extensive salsa bar as dressing, and ask for a side of corn tortillas rather than flour.
2. Early birds get results. Boot camps in the Nashville area are becoming more and more accessible. Most start at 6 a.m., and some as early as 5:45. Once you get into the routine of getting up when it’s dark, the resulting energy levels, self-discipline and workday productivity will leave you ready to tackle any “to do” list.
• YMCA: $275 for non-members, $225 for members
• Nashville Adventure Boot Camp (female-specific), $14.95 an hour
• Many small personal training studios also offer early morning boot camps. Check local listings for the most convenient and effective programs. DON’T let time be a barrier to your health and fitness.
3. Schedule breaks during the workday. When deadlines and workload begin piling up, the first thing most of us sacrifice is our breaks. When we neglect these breaks, we will not only suffer mentally, but we will feel a physical affect as well.
• Use your outlook calendar to schedule your breaks.
• Have a “break buddy” who comes by your desk at break time to remind you to get up and move a bit, have a healthy snack and refuel. Avoid high sugar, high carbohydrate snacks. These will ultimately result in a crash not long after it has been consumed. Try Trail mix with nuts and fruit, a protein bar such as Luna, Lara Bars or Pure Protein of half an English muffin or mini bagel with peanut butter
4. No Homework! We used to cringe at the thought of homework, arguing that work should be done at school, and anything additional should be left for the next day. Unfortunately, this perspective went out the window with brown bag lunches and recess. Now it’s more and more common for individuals to continue working long into the evening. The result is lost family time, intimacy and communication.
• Set a limit on cell phone usage during the evening hours.
• No work-related emails after dinner.
• Conversation should be non-work related as much as possible.
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To work individually with Dr. Watson on your performance goals, visit mindbodydoctor.net