After the glorious ad break that was summer – enjoying the sunshine, downtime with family and friends, and a break from routine – it’s now time to get back to your regular programming. Maybe that’s work, study, continuing to care for your children, or life as a retiree – whatever it is, this month is when you typically find more structure in your days.
Structure can take a different form for each person. Some people thrive off a strict daily schedule to find balance, and others enjoy more flexibility. Either way, it’s a great time to establish healthy habits to set up for a good year ahead.
Here are four key areas to help you create healthy habits!
Meal planning
This sounds harder than it really is! Taking just ten minutes at the start of each week to plan your meals brings many benefits to the way your household consumes food. The planning itself can be done on paper, digitally with apps, or even on an Excel spreadsheet if you’re that way inclined!
Meal planning avoids over-spending on groceries you won’t eat that week. Knowing what you’re cooking for dinner in advance gives you something to look forward to, ensures you have the right ingredients ready to go, and gives more opportunity for healthy meals instead of resorting to takeaways or quick-but-not-that-nutritious options.
You can also plan snacks ahead of time, helping with portion control and avoiding impulse snacking.
Movement
If you don’t already build regular exercise into your week, try new ways to move your body to find your preferences. Maybe you enjoy running to clear your mind, or it could be group classes or organised sports that get you pumping!
You can also double down by combining your regular activities with movement – listen to informative or interesting podcasts while walking or running, take a yoga or Zumba class with a friend instead of a sedentary option, or take the kids for a fun bike ride or swim while you get in some exercise, too.
Drinking
There are so many benefits to drinking enough water that it’s a no-brainer to make it a habit!To remind yourself, set calendar alarms, consume a glass with every meal or snack, or keep a full drink bottle handy at all times.
Consider your other drinks, too. Consume caffeine mindfully and keep your intake minimal to avoid dehydration, headaches and fatigue. Do you drink alcohol more than a couple of times a week, and are there some days that it could be swapped for a non-alcoholic beverage?
Taking breaks
If you don’t take adequate breaks from your work or daily tasks, it can affect your productivity, mental and physical wellbeing.
Taking a break gives your mind time to regroup and moves your attention away from the task at hand. You can spend your break doing something else that makes you happy, or enjoy some quiet ‘me-time’ if this is hard to come by! A break is crucial to help you regain focus, motivation, productivity and energy once you return to your work.
If you have a desk job, step away from your desk to mindfully eat lunch, move around, or go outside. Aches and pains in your neck and back can result from poor posture, so leaving your work station allows you to stretch your spine and muscles. Getting outside gives you a dose of fresh air and sunshine to encourage circulation, metabolism and some calorie burning.
