To enjoy life and to have enough energy for daily tasks you should take care of your Wellness. It takes a little bit of effort and discipline to sustain a healthy body. Here are a few tips on planning your Wellness.
P – PREPARE: Every night, look at your schedule for the next day.
- First examine what the family activities will be – for example school programme, after school activities and drive time.
- Secondly look at your work schedule – will there be a lot of sitting down in meetings, minimum time for lunch, a lot of drive time, a lot of interactions with people.
- Lastly, familiarise yourself with loadshedding schedules, and look at the weather forecast.
L – LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Now that you know how the following day is structured and what your body must do for you to keep up with a busy schedule you must listen to what your body needs.
- What kind of food will be best for the day? Maybe it needs a power snack like a boiled egg, biltong or nuts. During drive time you can enjoy a fruit or a vegetable, like a cucumber, instead of a chocolate or chips. Keep whole grain Provita and peanut butter (no sugar and added salt) at hand to avoid unhealthy snacks in meetings.
- How will your body stay hydrated? Your body may tell you the best option is water and some herbal teas. Prepare to have enough water for the day especially when you are on the road for long periods of time. Keep your own healthy teas at the work desk and minimize coffee to no more than three cups a day.
- Listen to your body’s pain language. Is it telling you to stretch, sit up straight, bend your knees or take regular deep breaths? What does it whisper about headaches?
- Your body will not give you a mixed message about rest. When you do not listen to this need, your body will force you over time to stop. The damage may be unreversible.
- During each day your body will also tell you that it needs fun, laughter and joy. The body experiences a lot of stress and does it’s best to process it.
Please keep listening to your body!
A – TAKE ACTION
You have prepared for the following day, you listened to your body now you take action!
Get the “the wellness box” ready in the evening.
- Prepare the food. Make a shopping list for healthy food during this time.
- Fill the water bottle, take extra herbal teabags and a lemon, to add flavour, and put it in the box.
- Choose one stress reliever for the day, for example a stretch band or tennis ball and put it in your work bag.
- Set you alarm around 11h00 in the morning and laugh out loud!
- Write yourself a note at what time you are going to sleep the next night and put in on your pillow. Keep that notes to see progress.
N – TAKE NOTE
Take note that Wellness takes planning. It is necessary, nourishing, natural, needed, nice and noticeable.
Start your Wellness planning NOW!
Sarlene Horn
Your Wellness Buddy
