Initiative and control are things most of us think about when it comes to our careers, but we don’t think of it as often when it comes to our health. Most people would say they try, and hope to show initiative with their careers. However, outside of jobs, we see many that don’t take initiative or control of their own health. People tend to be too busy with work, family, hobbies, and have many reasons why their health settles into second (or even third of fourth) place.
The problem with this is that our health enables us to work, it enables us to spend time (and quality time at that) with our family, and it gives us the capacity to enjoy our hobbies. Without our health, we lose all of these things.
Control comes into play when we get ahead of health problems by prioritizing our wellness. We look for things we can improve now, not later. We choose to eat less sugar, less processed foods, and more healthy, natural meats, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
We choose to prioritize our workouts, regardless of our schedules, and workout 3-5 days a week (even if it’s simply walking!) We choose to take time for ourselves (even if it’s only 10-20 minutes snuck in where we can) to read, relax, and allow our mind (a huge part of our overall health) time to unwind.
Taking Control of our health will help us stay ahead of serious issues that result from poor nutrition, lack of overall fitness, or sub-par mental health. Each of these areas, when neglected, can cause problems that we can’t postpone or avoid, as much as we would like to tell ourselves differently. As painful as it may be to confront, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety (to only name a few), are the consequences of putting our wellness second.
Take control with these simple steps and help keep your health from forcing you to focus on it:
- Find 3 days and times during the week you can put aside at least 30 minutes to workout. Add them to your calendar and hold yourself accountability. Let your family or friends know this time is off limits and that you need their help making sure you stick to your schedule.
- Find a time you can read or simply have some quiet time each day (morning works really well and sets the tone for the whole day.). Even if it’s only 10 minutes, you’ll be amazed at the change it will make.
- Make a simple grocery list of meats, vegetables, and other healthy options. When you go to the store, only allow yourself to buy what’s on your list. Every time you do this, you’ll be one step healthier (and save money avoiding the impulse items.)
Don’t worry about perfecting the above, focus on a little bit each day. But don’t sit and just do the minimum – look for small ways each day you can improve your health. It will pay out in a huge way for you, your family, and those you care about!