They say you can’t do it all, but with a little time management and a whole lot of hustle, I think you can.
I work full-time, go to the gym 3-4 times a week, and run the Southern Style Diaries… all while trying to maintain a (very) small social life and hang out with my fiancé and family. Did I mention I’m also planning a wedding?
It can be really overwhelming sometimes when I look at my to-do list. But, I’ve found a way to mostly manage my schedule and balance all my activities so that I don’t lose a lot of sleep, and I don’t take away time with my loved ones.
I know this isn’t a unique problem. People tell me constantly how stressed they are with managing their time, and I always say I get it— because I do, and I used to be that person. I still am occasionally, but not nearly as much!
Today I’m going to share several tips of mine on how to balance work, home, fitness, your side hustle, and whatever else you have going on!
I hope this helps you when you feel overwhelmed, and please leave me tips in the comment section about how you manage your time!
Have a bed time
I know, we’re not 8 anymore. But, when I started scheduling myself to go to bed every night around a certain time, everything changed. I have more energy to get things done during the day, and I sleep without tossing and turning through the night and waking up exhausted. Its all about your body clock and getting that regulated. If you are going to bed at midnight one day and 8 p.m. the next, your body gets so out of whack it doesn’t know when to be tired and when to be alert. Get yourself on a schedule where you’re getting between 6-8 hours a sleep every night, and stick with it. You’ll get so much more done during the day, and when bedtime comes you’ll sleep like a baby.
Eat, but eat well!
If I skip meals or don’t eat, I get incredibly cranky. Not only that, but I get killer headaches and feel lightheaded… meaning, I usually have to lay down and totally waste the rest of the day. I hate not feeling well and missing out on a perfectly good time to finish a blog post or to have dinner with my family! That’s why I make sure I’m eating something small every few hours, and I don’t miss meals. I buy prepped meals for my lunches and dinners during the week (I’m planning to do a post on that soon!) so they are portioned out based on calories, carbs, protein, and veggies. Getting all those nutrients in my system makes me feel so satisfied, and I get energy that I wouldn’t get from shoving McDonalds in my face (which I sometimes still do). I firmly believe if you put good things in your body, it’ll do good things for you!
Write everything down
This is another necessity for me! Every single thing gets written in my planner, and I mean everything. My gym schedule, work deadlines, when to fill out my time card, when bills are due… My planner looks like a ball point pen exploded, but that’s ok! If I write something down, I’m more likely to remember it. Also, I need to be able to look at my week (or month) and see what needs to get done and when. If you’re not a planner person, try using Post-It notes or a legal pad. Or, get a desk calendar and use the daily boxes to plan your week ahead.
Stick to a gym schedule
Lots of folks don’t want to hear this, but schedules are key to consistency with anything. To ensure that I don’t get “too busy” for the gym, I have a hard schedule that I almost never break. Knowing what days and times I workout lets me plan around it, and I also exercise harder because I’m not thinking about the 17 things I have to do when I get home. That’s an hour where I just focus on me and my body, and it’s such a stress reliever! I can go into the gym worried about 90 things, and leave feeling like I can conquer them all and more. I need that for my physical AND mental health.
Have a plan, but don’t freak out when it goes up in flames
No matter how much you plan and schedule, sometimes things just go to hell. And that’s okay! It’s inevitable. You’ll have car trouble, or be sick, or your friend is in town and you really want to have a drink with her. It’s okay to step back for a minute and remember, you are human and things happen. Give yourself permission to take a day or an afternoon off, and take a break. If you don’t, you’re going to burn out… and that’s one thing I know for sure. It’s all about balance— and of course, having a little fun too 🙂
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