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Health & Wellness Spotlight: Making Time For The Little Things

Photo By Hillary Ehlen

In his famous book, “Eat that Frog!,” author Brian Tracy states, “There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important things.” It’s true in the fact that you are constantly prioritizing items in your life. You’re trying to walk that fine tightrope of balancing work and family, between drive and relaxation and with your health and allowing yourself to let loose in life a bit. At the end of the day, you always seem to make time for the absolute most important items in your life.

In reality, however, it’s not that you’re making time. You’re ultimately choosing to put focus and energy toward the items and activities you’ve chosen to place the highest value on. Some of those might be helping you move the needle toward creating better results within your personal life, career or with your health and wellness, or they may be just a time suck for you, eating away the precious minutes you’re blessed with each day.

If you truly want results, you need to have a focused plan and be consistently implementing small habits and behaviors into your every day so you can reach a higher level of performance and success in your life. Take the time to do the little things that will have a compounding effect. As the saying goes, as a rising tide lifts all boats, you’ll find that as you begin to improve one area of your life, the others will begin to rise to a higher level as well.

So where can you start? Here are my top hints and tips, all very doable, that I personally use that you can begin to implement on a daily basis to reach a higher level:

1. Wake up each day with your sails set toward specific intent. Be clear on what living a life of significance truly looks and feels like for you.

2. Think positively and look at potential obstacles as opportunities to grow and develop.

3. Get active first thing in the morning. It will increase energy levels and stoke your motivation and self-confidence.

4. Drop the hour-long cardio sessions and put the Netflix away. Focus on fast and furious strength circuit training to boost that metabolism, add some great muscle tone and save time.

5. Tell those closest to you that you love them and give them a hug. Life is too short not to.

6. Eat a good-sized breakfast packed with protein that will set you up for a successful day. You’ll be less hungry throughout and later into the day.

7. Sync calendars with your significant other. It will save a tremendous amount of time going back and forth on daily items, schedules and planning.

8. Block schedule your workweek. Be sure to include transition, buffer and open times to account for changes and additions.

9. Control your calendar. You’re the gatekeeper of your time.

10. Remember that food is merely fuel for the phenomenal machine that your body is. Treat it well.

11. Seek to be open-minded and to listen to and understand others first. You’ll be surprised by how people will begin to open up to you and what you’ll learn.

12. See things in life for what they are, not only as you choose to see them.

13. Bring the energy in life rather than sucking it out of others. Nobody likes an energy vampire.

14. Take time to transition and refocus between activities. You’ll be amazed at the energy you have later in the day.

15. Drink enough water by aiming for at least a half-ounce to one full ounce for each pound of body weight. Your whole body will thank you.

16. Be proactive rather than reactive. You have much more control of your life than you think.

17. Remember that you become your environment and whom you choose to hang around with. Choose wisely.

18. Connect your current decisions to the future identity you seek. You become whom you focus on becoming.

19. Don’t look for the easiest method. Look for the one that will provide you with more long-term opportunity or growth.

20. Ignore the naysayers. They’re only that way because they’re self-conscious or jealous.

21. Use the alarm and reminder functions on your phone. They’ll help you create habits.

22. Stretch your comfort zone and lean into fears daily. They’re the only ways you grow.

23. Be where your feet are. Find the enjoyment and fulfillment you seek in the present moment.

24. Meal plan. This is THE biggest habit when it comes to nutrition that will kickstart you onto the right path.

25. Make time for yourself each day. Quiet time and deep thought reduce much stress and anxiety.

26. Plan your day in advance the day or night before. Plain and simple. No plan = No results.

27. Always be looking for growth and development. Books. Podcasts. Articles. Networking.

28. Prep what you need for the morning the night before. You’ll be glad you did in the dark at 5:30 am.

29. Reflect on each day, seeing and feeling where you could have done things differently, where you had successes, how you grew and where you need to make changes. Self-awareness is vital.

30. Be thankful for all that you have. Things can change in a heartbeat, and there are much less fortunate than you.

31. Get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Enough sleep will keep you healthy, happy, motivated and well.

There you have it. Thirty-one tips that you can immediately begin implementing in your daily routine to reach a higher level of overall performance in your life, without a ton of work, other than maybe a little planning and a shift in mindset. But as the great coach John Wooden said, “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.”

Written by Patrick Metzger

Patrick Metzger is the founder of Synergy Strength and Nutrition. As a health and mindset coach, he works with busy professionals and parents in helping them discover and ignite their ultimate potential. For more from Patrick, visit him at: synergystrengthnutrition.com

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