Dr Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said
‘Perfection is the enemy of the good when it comes to emergency management … the greatest error is to be paralysed by fear of failure.’
Now is the time to practice letting go of perfectionism, to practice leaning into how well you can shift and move with your circumstances.
Since January, many of my clients in Asia have been working, working out, educating their children from home.
It’s tough. One of the biggest barriers that came up for them was keeping a schedule.
It’s easy to still be in your PJs till 2pm, eat weird things, not get outside, stay up late and sleep in.
When you’re used to having a regular schedule, being thrown off like this can have you feeling scattered, gross, fatigued and without a clear mind.
Accept. Let go. Things look different right now.
Then ...
Pivot. Create a new plan, a new schedule—for now.
When there’s so much out of your control look at what you can control: your training, your nutrition, your mindset.
They are the things that can ground you when the world feels like it’s falling to pieces.
Let them hold you so you have space to think about the important stuff.
Be consistent with your workout schedule.
Eat proper meals sitting down, away from work, enjoy that you have a bit more time to cook, sit and eat. If you have a family, cool in bulk so you’re not making a trillion meals.
Take the time for your mind. Read, write, be still. You have a few more minutes in your day without a regular schedule to spend here. Allow yourself that.
MORNINGS
If mornings are usually busy for you with kids, gym, work, allow yourself to shift into a different schedule and sleep a bit later but still set an alarm nor get up at the same time so you have structure.
Avoid jumping straight into work, but do a workout, go for a walk, get sunshine in your eyes.
Make the most of the opportunity to have slower mornings to get your mind right. Maybe you would get annoyed with everyone bangin' on about morning routines because you just don't have the time. Now's your chance. This is a perfect time to try things that make sense for you and set up some new habits to carry on when things normalise: read a little bit, try meditation or breath work, drink your coffee outside without distraction.
Take the time to make a proper breakfast, sit down and eat it.
Shower, get dressed, put lipstick on. Don't stay in your PJs till 2pm.
Start work at the same time each day.
FOOD
Eat meals away from your work zone.
Enjoy the extra time you have to prepare your meals and sit down to eat them.
If you have other humans in the house, consider cooking enough food to last a few meals so you're not constantly cooking.
Drink water. Don't pretend that coffee is water because it's made with water.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Create zones in the house and have boundaries for work, eating, playing, sleeping. Don't do work on your computer in your bedroom!
Set a timer to commit to work blocks. Work hard then rest hard. Get outside and get sunshine if you can on breaks.
You will probably find that your work day is shorter. If you work in an office there is a lot of faffing about chatting, procrastinating, etc. Let your work day be shorter but do solid work so you're not wasting time.
Set a work day schedule and stick to it. 'I will comit to X hours a day. I will start work at X time and finish at X time.'
At the end of your work day, shut down and close out with something that can mentally allow you to switch off. I like to say out loud: 'SHUT DOWN' as I turn off my computer.
Go to bed at the same time each night. This is tough. It's easy to stay up be cause you don't have to get up at 6am. Realign with how you want to feel and make an adult decision.
EXERCISE
Get your workout done in the morning if you find that you're getting to the end of the day and putting it off. This will also be something off your mind that you 'have to' do at the end of the day.
Get accountability! Have a coach program for you with what you have available to you at home and to check in with you. That support is golden for your physical and mental health in this different environment.
What have I missed here? What is one key thing you are doing to keep regularity in your day?
I've created The Bold Collective: outside of the gym edition to help you still have intention and purpose to your training in this unsettling time. To find a new rhythm in this time, a new normal go here to get on the waitlist for The Bold Collective: outside of the gym edition.
Commenti