All good things must come to an end

Hard to believe that we are already at the end of August. Soon, students return to school and the routines resume. However, we too often under-estimate the impact of the transition from summer to fall routines with new activities and demands on our time and energy.

These small, but significant stresses can derail our healthy habits. It can be challenging to find the time to exercise, resist the temptation of grabbing “fast food”, or even manage stress while running around town from activity to activity. So, what can be done?

1. What are the tools in your toolbox? Do you already have superpowers? Are you a great planner? How about preparing meals in advance? To start, identify what strategies or tools are easy for you to implement today.

2. Who is on your team? Too often we believe that we must do all by ourselves; however, if we take a moment to look around, it is easy to find people in your family or among your friends and/or colleagues to help you manage your busy schedule. For example, perhaps you could organize carpooling among parents in your child’s sport team. Or perhaps a friend or colleague would like a walking partner at lunch for accountability.

3. You cook? One of the most important tools for a healthy life is learning to cook. Preparing meals at home helps to manage your diet and avoid temptation to “pick something up” or grab a high calorie snack on the go. There are tons of online resources, recipes and others to help you learn or perfect your cooking. Have fun and explore.

4. What’s your plan? Planning ahead can be the difference between a great week of quality activities, and total chaos. Look at the first few weeks and plan “you time” – time dedicated to activities that contribute to your health and wellbeing. Think of it like an appointment with yourself. If planned in advance, it is easier to prevent other activities or responsibilities from getting in the way of your success.

Ready? Set? Go! These simple strategies may help you manage your health and the health of your family. Talk to your chiropractor about other tips and tricks! nbchiropractic.ca