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Doing things by half is exhausting

Amy Gorman

If you decide you're starting doing something, do it. Commit yourself and see what happens.


That could be committing to doing something but for a lesser number of days and not the full shebang.


Let's be honest, there's never an amazing time to do anything. But when it comes to health, it's better that you take a break before you're broken.


This could be taking a break from eating poor quality food before it makes you ill. Taking a holiday before your stress levels are so high you have a meltdown. Or as we'd commonly say in a class, breaking up reps before your body forces you to stop.


My attention goes to this one after a weekend of work travel. The trip was pitched as a break for me and working for Kieran.


In reality, staying with your bosses, in their new house in Portugal, with unknown meetings planned and their two year old. There really isn't much holiday in there. When you're so desperate for a holiday that even this sounds like an appealing offer.


What happens when you put half an effort into something you need to do? Mostly, it feels shit.


If you try to stop for 10 minutes, an afternoon, a weekend. But half of your mind is on your mounting to do list and responsibilities. You don't get anything out of either situation - you get more anxious about your list, waste energy and don't feel rejuvenated from the break.


If you start a new "diet" but your not entirely committed, you track a few meals over a couple of days, or know you've gone over but reckon nobody will know, so what does it matter. In reality, you're just going to prolong the process you ideally want to be as quick and streamlined as possible.


We all have so many things on our plate. So I encourage you to review what's on the menu and remove the things that aren't a priority so you can give greater attention to the things you find important.


If you want to do certain things (pick up new habits for your health) but you don't feel in a position to go all in. Why not try doing it for 2-3 days of the week. For example, on the days you work from home, or the days your'e in the office. Allowing you to start building habits and consistency, so that when you're ready, it's easier to add the other days.


Rather than doing the old, bite off your nose to spite your face. You're highly unlikely to get a perfect situation, or to necessarily find time to take a break/holiday. But you can actively choose to prioritise 10 minutes for yourself - the world will not fall apart. You can choose to add protein to your breakfast three days a week. You can choose to add in a walk one day a week. With the view that later you will go away for a long weekend, and then a week. Or that you will later add protein to all meals on three days and then all meals every day. Or that you'll start running once a week, or walking five days.


You can take small steps that suit and that be good. But I encourage you to commit to those steps and see what happens!

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