How to Become the Healthiest You in 2022
Angela Moore
| 5 min read
By now any plans to start the year off right are either fully underway or you may be frustrated that you already “fell off the track.”
The great thing about health is that it is never too late to start or restart implementing and integrating healthy lifestyle strategies into your life.
The moment you start taking steps towards a healthy life, you start improving your overall health and the quality of your life.
So how do you start or re-start your path to a healthier life?
Don’t worry!
Implementing and integrating healthy actions into your day is not as complex as you think.
In fact, it can be quite simple!
But before you do anything, you must first make the decision that you are going to prioritize your personal health.
If you’re not willing to make the commitment that you’re going to take better care of yourself, any goals that you set are only going to be short lived.
Ready to make the commitment to be a healthier you in 2022?
Here a few strategies to help you along the way:
Pre-plan and prepare
We have all heard the phrase, “if you fail to plan, plan to fail.” You must also pre-pare so that your plan is successful. Pre-planning and preparing for the day or days ahead will reduce stress and make effective use of your time.
Some ways to pre-plan and prepare:
- Set out your clothes the night before; this includes undergarments, shoes, and accessories.
- Pack your bags for work ahead of time. Packing your computer, folders, or anything that you need for the following day will prevent you from having to do it in the morning.
- Prepare snacks and healthy easy to grab meals for the following day or the week if possible. Don’t forget to set out your lunch bag or cooler the night before so that it is ready to go.
Start each day in a good way
There is nothing worse than starting the day with a negative attitude. A negative attitude or “grumpy mood” often extends throughout the day and can cause negative consequences at home and at work.
Start the day by creating and/or maintaining a positive mindset.
A positive mindset will not always naturally happen. In fact, it is highly likely that you will have to make it happen.
Tips to create and/or maintain a positive mindset:
- Set out sufficient time to pray or meditate. Set your alarm clock early enough that you have time to comfortably follow a morning routine that allows you to set your mind in a positive direction.
- Make sure you protect your “positive mindset” by being mindful of what you watch or listen to as you start the day.
- If watching or listening to the news is going to potentially put you in a negative mindset, I would not recommend it.
- Stay focused and be mindful of time.
- It is nothing worse than looking up at the clock and realizing that you are running late because you got sidetracked.
Create a realistic schedule
It is also important that you create a schedule that is an accurate representation of your actual time and capabilities as well as your goals.
Suggestions to create a realistic schedule:
- Create a schedule that allows adequate time for work responsibilities and tasks as well as for healthy actions.
- In addition to specific times for emails, meetings, and work tasks, schedule in time for eating, physical activity, relaxation as well as time to nurture important relationships.
- Make sure you take into consideration your personal and professional roles and responsibilities as well as the actual demand on your time and energy.
- Assess the accuracy of your schedule by documenting the actual time it takes to complete tasks, etc.
- Note when you have underestimated or overestimated time and make necessary adjustments.
- Adhere to your schedule as much as possible and avoid “getting off track.”
- When you have scheduled specific time for a specific task, make sure you stick to that task and avoid distractions — checking emails, responding to texts, etc.
What if I work at home?
If you work from home, it is really important that you do 3 key things:
- Create specific time and space for tasks or activities.
- For example, work should be done during “work times” and in your designated work area.
- Pre-determine your hard stops.
- A hard stop is when you commit to turning off and truly disconnecting. This can be during a scheduled break or lunch and/or the end of your workday.
- Create boundaries and maintain them.
- It is really important that you draw lines around yourself and how you spend your time. Whether you are spending time with your family, exercising or simply relaxing, guard it by any means necessary.
You may or may not have noticed that I did not tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables, exercise or do physical activity for 45-60 minutes; what you would typically expect when someone is telling you how to be healthier. Eating well and exercising are an essential part of a healthy life; however, I have learned that managing your day in an effective way makes living a healthier life possible!
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Photo credit: Getty Images
