First, I want to preface this post by saying that I am in no way perfect at navigating my busy seasons. When things do not go according to plan and/or life gets overwhelming, I have meltdowns just like the next person; however, I’ve collected a few tricks that make it a little easier to not completely derail your hard work in the gym.
- Write a to-do list. This will help you arrange your tasks by priority and/or time allowance. Personally, I’m the type who writes everything in a calendar and color codes it. I know not everyone needs that type of organization, but it helps me to see what must get done now, what can be saved for later, and reminds me to include some personal time as well. For example, everything workout-related is highlighted in orange in my calendar, so I know if I’m not seeing a lot of orange on my to-do list, I’m not prioritizing my health. Additionally, there are digital options for this. Smartphones have calendars and to-do list applications, so put them to use if that’s more your style. I find that having a visual of my day, week, and month are the most beneficial ways to organize my time. Maybe I can find a ten minute window to go for a walk. Plus, it feels so sweet to mark things off of that to-do list!
- Nutrition: When life gets busy, nutrition is usually one of the first things to go out the window. When life happens, we may not have time to grocery shop, much less cook or clean up after cooking. It’s just so easy to slide through the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant. We’ve all been there. The key here is to plan ahead. You know you’re going to have a busy week, so be sure to designate time to line out your meals for the upcoming week. No time to go to the store? Technology now allows us to order groceries online and pick them up when we’re ready. Some stores will even deliver your groceries to you! If you have time, cook all of your week’s meals (meal prepping) so you can just grab them on the go. Lacking time to cook? Use a meal service (see my post about Icon Meals here). The point is, if you’re short on time and cannot make it to the gym as often as you normally do, you can at least refrain from putting on pounds from eating junk. Make time to plan out your food, and you won’t undo all of your hard work.
- Find ways to be active while you’re on the go. You may have to get creative with this one, but some ideas could be to park further from your destination than you normally do, take a short stretch or walk break, or just take the stairs instead of an elevator. On days that I cannot make it to the gym, I try to at least meet my daily step goal on my Garmin. Sure, that’s not going to burn the same calories as a typical CrossFit workout, but I’m at least moving. Tell your coworkers to join you in some air squats, push-ups, and deadlifts with a random object. Whatever you decide, just make a point to move throughout your day so that your body remembers that it doesn’t have to store every single calorie you consume.
- Grace. We all get busy and have to take breaks from our regular routine. Just have grace with yourself and know that you’re doing the very best you can. Be sure that you allow your busy season to be just that, a season.
