I just spent a good thirty minutes stressing about how I have no time next week or the week after. Working myself up so that I have to fit everything imaginable in right now, therefore getting nothing done.
Sound familiar?
For context, I have half a day booked off on Monday to spend time with my best friend at a spa. Then a course for the weekend. Followed by a trip to see family. All nice things, not too intrusive or demanding, and planned well in advance. Yet, there’s something about knowing that a few days are different to normal that sends me into a slight panic. Despite there rarely being normal in my life.
So what do you do when this happens?
For me, it’s a case of taking a moment to look in advance (only as far as I absolutely need to) and see if it really is as bad as my imagination has decided.
From there, I set clear priorities:
What do I need to get done, no question - e.g. regular work, invoicing,
What would be nice to get done, but isn’t essential - e.g. things that don’t often happen but are good when they do
What is going to make me feel better and should be prioritised - e.g. gym, cleaning the house, meal prep
I spent some time last week talking through excuses with a group of people. We talked about the things that block consistency and stop progress. These included:
Cravings
Stress eating
Work (deadlines)
Peer pressure
People pleasing
Don’t want to stand out not doing the norm
Change in routine
Family visits
Work trips
Rail strikes
Obligations - family/friends
No structured training
From there, we worked through realistic ways to overcome these challenges and stay consistent when life has other ideas.
Switch off phone/computer after 8 pm
Go for a walk whilst calling family/friends - conversation and prioritise health
Create a training schedule
Rope a friend in each week for an extra session (instead or as well as dinner/drinks)
Manage expectations better (your own and other people's)
Say no
Control at least one meal a day
Get a bike
Eat more frequently
Have good food at home
Plan a day in advance to allow for a beer/meal out with friends
Some of them have a lot of cross-over or could be adapted to fit different situations. A big thing that came up was that having structure, routine and boundaries are key.
Some of them are also still possible even when things change, or you’re out of your regular routine.
Away for work? Cool, research before you go.
Where is the nearest supermarket?
Stock up on supplies or regular items - yoghurt, fruit, veggies, jerky, nuts
What restaurants are in the area, can you get the food you want there?
I’m not saying healthy here, I’m asking if there are places that give you enough flexibility to eat delicious food, that contains protein and veg, that isn’t all deep fried
If it is fried, at least you know and you can plan ahead, or peel the fried bits off a piece of chicken
What about a gym? Could you do a drop-in somewhere?
No, cool, what about a walk or run?
Gonna have a late night? Guarantee the sleep is still good - grab an eye mask and earplugs
Don’t make it feel worse with loads of booze and greasy food
Got busy work days, or a mental week?
Can you do a food shop online in advance?
Can you prep your breakfast and lunch to take with you to the office, or heat in 2 minutes at lunch?
Can you adjust your gym schedule to get in for the first or last session of the day?
Can you add in a walk and a call to a loved one to help you switch off from the madness?
Can you get up early to eat breakfast and start the day in control of the world?
Can you block off 30 minutes here and there to deal with emails and other bits that pile up?
The family are coming to visit? Ah yes, I feel the stress for you. It’s lovely, but it can be hard.
Can you control one meal per day - i.e. breakfast
Reduces planning of restaurants, allows you to hit goals, starts the day well
You’re never going to please everyone, so what do you want to do? This is a good excuse to get to the sites/places/restaurants you’ve been dying to see
Can you walk places instead of getting public transport?
It allows you to move more, if you can’t get into the gym and allows them to see more of the city
Can you adjust plans to start at lunchtime or late morning, instead of early, so you have time to sleep and prioritise feeling good (not resentful of your visitors)
We can great boundaries, or rules, for ourselves that stick regardless of the situation.
My meals are based on protein and veggies
I won’t eat out more than x times a day/week
I will move in some capacity every day
How does this help you to overcome some of your excuses and inconsistencies?
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