Guess what the number one reason my health coaching clients give me for not working out, or preparing a healthy home cooked meal is? Well I’m sure you guessed it based on the title of this article. That is that they didn’t have time.
I know we all lead busy lives but if I were to give most people a time tracker for the day they would realize that the problem is not that they don’t have time, its that they have a time management problem.
I have clients who are juggling work, kids and their activities, household chores and still want to be able to enjoy ample leisure time and so the first thing to take a backseat is their health priorities, despite the fact that it is important to them.
Time management as a skill is not just something that would be nice to have, it’s a necessity if you want to lead an intentional and meaningful life. If not you are just being pulled in all directions dealing with the urgent but rarely the important.
The hardest part of time management and what puts most people off is the planning and organizing part of it. All great projects start with a plan, and your life being the greatest project you will ever undertake is no exception. Your plan is the single most vital aspect in closing the gap between what you desire and what you achieve.
Here are four steps that will help you get you started on mastering this art of time management.
- Goals: The first step is to decide what are your important health goals that you want to achieve in the week? Working out 3 times a week? Doing your batch cooking? Going to the grocery store for a healthy shop? Formally decide what you WANT and what is important to you. If not you may find yourself ordering pizza because “you didn’t have time”.
- Plan: Take a look at your schedule and be realistic about what days you will actually get things done. Too often I see people with a to do list for the day that is not even close to realistic based on their responsibilities, which then gives them the convenient excuse of not having enough time. Don’t plan to workout on Monday if you have a dentist appointment in the morning, and a parent teacher interview after work.
- Set Priorities: As often as possible do the most important and/or undesirable tasks first. People like to check off lots on their to do list, but will usually do all of the mundane and easiest tasks first and then claim they have no time for what is important. The reality is there was plenty of time they didn’t make it a priority. Put the IMPORTANT before the supposedly “urgent”.
- Write it down: Writing down not only what day, but what time you will do something will increase your chances of getting it done. Either put it in your e-calendar or your hand written agenda but whatever you do write it down.
Taking care of your health is a form of self-care that should always be prioritised therefore don’t try to “find” the time, MAKE the time!
