Faced with a full schedule of appointments, meetings and errands, the majority of us tend to prioritize simply completing our list of to-dos as opposed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Looking at these two goals as an either/or scenario is a common mistake and one that the most successful among us avoid through discipline and strategic time management. Reconcile your routine with these techniques proven to boost your physical and professional performance.
Early Bird Gym Rats
A staple of the flourishing and the fit is the acclaimed early morning workout. Multiple studies have been done which conclude a little cardio and weight training before breakfast can brighten your disposition for the day and is more beneficial than evening work outs. In the morning, our testosterone levels are much higher than later in the day, so a little sunrise lifting is a smart way to take advantage of peak hormone levels and kick start your metabolism into calorie burning mode. Robert Iger (CEO of Disney) and even President Obama guarantee themselves daily exercise by ensuring it’s the first thing they do every day.
Avoid the Afternoon Food Coma
It goes by many names but there’s really only one word needed for the crash most of us experience after lunch: unproductive. Needing an extra cup or two of coffee at three in the afternoon is not a good sign, and it certainly isn’t healthy. The crash is due to a surge of glucose which gives us about 20 minutes of alertness before causing us to daydream about 5 o’ clock and our couches. This can be avoided by maintaining steady glucose levels through smaller, smarter meals and a few substantial snacks, such as a banana.
An additional and somewhat counterintuitive method is to take a longer lunch break. This will give you extra time to properly digest your food and leave you less likely to settle for the first fast food joint closest to your workplace.
Master How You Spend Your Time
There’s always a better way you could be spending your time. Whether it’s reading instead of watching TV or planning instead of rushing, the successful operate with purpose and organization. This is not to say all your time should be spent working, in fact the opposite is true. Setting goals and accomplishing what needs to be done in a timely manner frees you from unhealthy stress and spending valuable recharge time on work. Moguls such as Arianna Huffington, Bill Ford and Russell Simmons credit their success to meditation, mindfulness and the practice of balancing work with personal needs.
The key to all of these techniques laid out by successful and wealthy individuals comes down to balance. Overeating, oversleeping and overworking can provide the instant gratifications we crave but ultimately set us up for worse footing down the road. Stop hitting the snooze button on your health put yourself on a path to success!
