By Kelly Ryan, Registered Holistic Nutritionist
In the last few articles we talked about the “why” of healthy habits, and now I will talk about the “how.”
I get it, you are busy. You are an entrepreneur, but more than that . . . you are a wife/mom/friend, etc. Plus, you have to be you.
You want to have energy to be
a great boss
a productive business owner
the best version of yourself
someone who can inspire your employees
You want to feel awesome and have amazing energy and clarity!
How do you do this when you are a busy entrepreneur and you have to do ALL OF THE THINGS?
Most people try tackle everything at once (think New Year’s Resolutions – change everything at once and then fall off the wagon by February). This isn’t sustainable; it’s an exercise in frustration.
The best way to make sustainable changes is to do it in ways that will set you up for success.
Eight steps for building change into an already busy lifestyle:
Give yourself a break (mentally). Stressing and focusing on the negative will not help you make positive changes. Where you focus is where you go, so focusing on the negative will not lead you somewhere positive.
Create SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely). These are your roadmap – if you don’t know where you’re going, how can you know when you get there?
Change one habit per month. We have little willpower (and it’s usually used up first thing in the morning trying to get out the door). So you want to create habits that will put you on the road to success.
Start your day off right. Drink half a litre of water first thing in the morning to clear out the cobwebs, carve out some time just for you to meditate/read/exercise/practice gratitude, and nail that first meal of the day (check out the green smoothie recipe in the Fall 2018 edition of The Advisor). If you start off on the right foot, I can guarantee the rest of your day will be much better.
Schedule self-care and exercise as you do any other appointment. Self-care is as important as anything else; it helps you to do everything else. Give it the importance it deserves.
Batch tasks. Multi-tasking doesn’t work. Every time you get distracted or switch tasks, it can take up to 15 minutes to get back into the flow of what you were doing. To save time, schedule similar tasks together (meal planning/prep, meetings, checking emails).
Outsource/get help. If something isn’t worth your time, outsource it. What gives you more bang for your buck financially or emotionally: RFPs or grocery shopping? Cleaning or quality time with family? Dominion now has a pick-up service for ordering groceries online. Or have a weekly house-cleaning service. If you can’t outsource, ask for help.
Make easy, healthy meals. Double whammy: eating healthy gives you energy to do more! Make simple, balanced meals with a variety of nutrients.
To help get you started, I am including a quick, easy, healthy but very tasty lunch idea:
Quinoa & Hummus Stuffed Wraps
Ingredients
1 cup hummus
1 avocado
1 head dark leaf lettuce (Boston, romaine, leafy)
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup shredded cabbage
optional: lime juice, hot sauce, or balsamic reduction
Instructions
Spread hummus and avocado onto each lettuce leaf, spread quinoa, fill with remaining ingredients, top with a squeeze of lime juice, hot sauce, or balsamic reduction, wrap, and enjoy!
Kelly Ryan,
Kelly is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist who helps moms get their energy back and feel great. She believes that it is possible to be a mom, and feel energized, feel like yourself, feel great and love life! As a mom to 2 wonderful kiddos, she wanted to start them off right, keep them as healthy as possible and teach them how to take care of their own health. As a professionally trained Chef and lover of food, she had to undergo big changes in her diet 3 years ago when she discovered that a gluten and dairy intolerance was causing her major health issues that medicine just couldn’t seem to fix. These reasons ignited her interest in natural nutrition. Kelly has completed the Natural Nutrition Program with the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Eben Pagan's Virtual Coach program, the Basic Pastry and Basic Cuisine programs at Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Ottawa and is certified as ASQ’s Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She is a member of the CSNN Alumni Association, NLOWE and Healing NL. She is a speaker and health coach inspiring her audiences and clients to feel recharged, energetic and fantastic. Connect with her on Facebook @KellyRyanRHN.