Focusing on your health when you are such a busy parent isn’t as easy as it sounds. As parents, we have to wear many hats, and when we are trying to sneak in time to look after ourselves so we can have the energy to juggle everything in a day, we’ve got to remember that focusing on our health should be the priority for us to thrive in every other area of our lives. So how can you weave health into your life when you are so busy?
Preparing Breakfast the Night Before
Whether it’s overnight oats or green smoothies, if you prepare breakfast the night before, at the very least you know you’ve got a great breakfast down you to get you ready for the day. Some people don’t like having breakfast as soon as they wake up, in which case, you can easily prepare yourself a great brunch instead. A lot of people are benefiting from reducing their meal intake, but you’ve got to remember that if you are running around a lot, you need to make sure you have enough energy while also making sure that you are healthy.
Making Time for Fitness
When you’re a dad life is going to get pretty hectic, especially if you are a single parent. So looking after your health is essential so that you are fit enough to take care of your children. A good way to ensure you look after your own health is to undertake exercise. This is good for lifting your general mood, getting your heart pumping blood around the body and to keep any weight off. Heart care is very important when you have a family to look after so you want to ensure that you keep yours in the best possible condition. Exercise and a healthy balanced diet will help to make sure that your heart is as healthy as it can be, and it will set a great example to your children as well to follow.
Fitness is one of those things that we believe have to take hours of our day. The reality is that you can sneak in exercise while getting things done. And in fact, there’s a benefit to having a little bit of exercise here and there. Doing some quick press-ups while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or isometric contractions are all little things that you can do to improve your strength. As parents, we can run the risk of overdoing it when it comes to our fitness, which is why we have to focus on building up gradually. Rather than trying to do a mega workout three times a week, doing a little here and there will not eat into your recovery.
Ensuring You Feel Relaxed and Refreshed
The biggest battle we all have when it comes to our health and fitness is actually ensuring that we are able to tackle the day. And this means that we’ve got to minimize stress in the right ways and focus on relaxation. If you are a single parent and you’ve got the kids to sleep after a long day, you may feel that you owe it yourself to have some time on your phone and some Netflix, but making sure that you stick to a rigid bedtime and wake up time means that you are winning the battle against your circadian rhythms. Having a good bedtime routine is very important for your children, but it’s just as important for you.
When we learn to focus on our health as busy parents, it doesn’t just mean that we start to live the healthy lifestyle we crave but we also set that example for our children. It’s not easy to be healthy in any way, but it’s about making sure that you focus on the right aspects of health for you.
When you’re so busy, it can be difficult to focus on ways to keep healthy. However, careful planning the day before can go a long way, so it’s good you drew attention to this!