Adopting healthy habits and lack of time for myself. How can I break out of a vicious cycle?

Adopting healthy habits can be complex, especially when you need more personal time. But remember, personal time is not a luxury; it's necessary for our overall health and well-being.

Like many of you, I am trapped in a cycle: I constantly juggle responsibilities, leaving little time for myself and the healthy habits I want to adopt.

One of my focuses right now is finding time for myself.

Say "NO" to New Responsibilities

I’ve learned to say “NO” to extra responsibilities at work when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I don’t do this every time, but when I have too much on my plate, I calmly explain to my boss that I can’t take on more tasks.

Better Work Organization

I am proud of how I organize myself at work. Of course, it is not perfect. Perfection does not exist; we can only strive for it.

I try not to leave anything for tomorrow. And if I leave something for tomorrow, I always create a To-Do List, but my To-Do List MUST BE easy, not demanding List 😊.

I must "love" my TO-DO LIST.

Thanks to my habit of finishing tasks promptly, I don't create a to-do list too often. Sometimes, this habit is a double-edged sword. It's a good thing because I feel relieved that I don't have many things to do, which significantly relaxes me mentally.

On the other hand, that principle - do everything straight away- is precisely one of the causes of my lack of time for myself.

I must keep working on balancing "do it all now" or "leave things for tomorrow!" It's a constant struggle, but setting realistic daily goals helps.

ADOPTING HEALTHY HABITS

Find a Regular Physical Activity and Enjoy it

The activity must be one that you love. I love swimming and walking. I always enjoy those activities. If you go to the gym, for example, because your friend recommended it and you don't like it, it will be difficult for you to adopt regular physical activity as one of the ways to change your habits.

Eat Healthy

Whichever diet you choose (you should consult a nutritionist because a professional will best determine what and how much nutrients your body needs), try not to skip meals. That's my problem. I often skip a meal, and then I'm too hungry, so when dinner comes, I eat more than I should.

My second "sin" is sweetened industrial juices, but again, I try not to drink carbonated drinks. Of course, I try to make food selections as healthy as possible. My husband enjoys preparing healthy meals.

I'm not a perfect model of healthy eating, but then again, who is? I'm just a regular person trying to make good choices. I always choose healthy food over fast, sweet, deep-fried, or processed food. It's not always easy, but it's a choice I make for my health and well-being.

So, this is another job for me to be more disciplined regarding skipping meals and drinking too much industrial juice.

I see the solution in making a whole pitcher of lemonade and sweetening it with a bit of honey.

I think I found some kind of solution to the meal-skipping issue. When I don't feel hungry and would rather skip a meal, I grab a handful of almonds.

Get Enough Sleep

Uh, that's a good topic. Without enough sleep, I can't do anything, literally. The therapist told me that I have some kind of insomnia because I wake up early. I mean early, around 4 a.m. And when I'm lucky, sometimes I wake up at 5 o'clock 😉

I must admit that I'm unsure if I even want to change this habit.

Getting up early means I have time to dedicate to my blog.

I am a morning person. I am bursting with energy, enthusiasm, and activism in the morning, ready to take on the world. However, as the day progresses, I become less and less productive. I go to bed between 21h and 22h, so I sleep about seven hours.

Sometimes, depending on the day, I must take an afternoon nap if the daily routine is challenging.

But, after an afternoon nap, I feel more tired. Do you have a similar experience? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with afternoon naps. Do they energize you or leave you feeling groggy?

Don't Read Terrifying News. Take a Book Instead

My favorite piece of advice is to avoid reading terrifying news. Alarming news is abundant out there—so much so that it often leaves me feeling scared, anxious, and even hypochondriacal, especially when it concerns illnesses. To combat this "scary" habit of consuming distressing news, I changed my ways and became a local library member instead. 😊