Guest Post: Taking Baby Steps to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle

July 24, 2013 by Tracy

Today, I’m privileged to have Bridget Sandorford share some practical ways to live a healthy lifestyle.

On my own health journey, my baby step is drinking 64 oz. of water each day. With baby steps, I am seeing baby changes which is so encouraging.

I love how Bridget realizes that we have short bits of time and offers small changes from meals to sleep to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Thank you, Bridget, for sharing these techniques.Though I don’t have a treadmill desk (which really intrigues me), I love the cooking in bulk suggestion.

As you continue on your health journey, I hope you find some encouragement as you read Bridget’s perspective on taking baby steps to achieve a healthy lifestyle. ~ Tracy

Taking Baby Steps to Achieve a Healthy Lifestyle

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Getting healthy can be a lot of work. You have to shop for fresh ingredients (which may mean several trips to the store in a week), cook up fresh meals (no take out), and then find time to get to the gym.

When you have a busy lifestyle (like most of us do), it can be hard to find 10 minutes to go for a short walk around the block, let alone an hour to do cardio and weight training. Cooking usually involves heating something up in the microwave or picking up the phone to place an order.

However, getting healthy has to be a priority, no matter how busy your schedule is. Otherwise, you put yourself at risk of developing chronic health conditions and even disease.

You jeopardize the quality of life you can expect to have. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to get healthy that will fit in with even the busiest of schedules. Here are a few ideas for how you can take baby steps to achieve a healthy lifestyle:

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Cook in Bulk

You may not have time to cook dinner every night, but you can likely set aside a couple of hours on the weekend to make a couple of big batches that can be portioned into individual meals. You can make foods like soups, stews, pastas, rice, stir fries, roasts, and more.

After a couple of hours of prep time, you will have a lot of food that you can portion out and put in the refrigerator or the freezer for use later in the week. Then you just have to pop them in the microwave when you come home from a long day at work. You’ll be sure to always have healthy meals ready to go instead of being tempted by take out.

Order Meals

Takeout food is often loaded with unhealthy fats, sugars, and additives. Plus, it’s usually about 2 or 3 times the size of a normal portion and has far too many calories. However, if you just don’t have the time to cook, ordering takeout is often the only option you have.

Instead of ordering takeout, order your meals from a delivery service. You can get quality, ready-to-eat foods that only have to be warmed up. Services usually are based on weekly or monthly menu plans, but you can likely customize your plan to fit your needs.

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Add More Activity in Your Daily Routine

You don’t have to go to the gym to get your body moving. You’ve heard it before, but now it’s time to start actually doing it: take the stairs (yes, even up those four flights), park at the end of the lot, walk to the bathroom that’s farthest from your desk.

If it’s possible, you can even install a standing desk in your office so that you can get off your butt and burn more calories. If you work from home, you might even consider setting up a treadmill desk. (Yes, that’s a real thing.)

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

Combine Exercise with Socializing

An easy way to squeeze in more exercise without taking more time out of your schedule is to combine it with something else you would have been doing anyway, such as spending time with family and friends.

Instead of sitting around chatting after you meet your friend for lunch, go for a walk while you talk. Instead of meeting for drinks, meet up for a tennis match. Instead of going to a family movie night, go for a family skate night. Whatever you do, you’ll be having fun together, and you’ll be getting more exercise.

Find Ways to Release Stress

Stress is a silent killer. Too much stress over too long a period can start to cause serious health problems, even disease. You will dramatically improve your health by simply finding ways to reduce stress in your life. You don’t have to set aside an hour for meditation (which would likely just cause you more stress by limiting your time even more).

There are many exercises you can do right at your desk that take no more than 5 minutes, such as visualization and focused breathing. Anything that makes you laugh or feel good will also help, and it takes no time at all to tell a joke.

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

Get More Sleep

One of the first things that most people sacrifice in their quest to fit tasks into their limited hours in the day is sleep. Yet sleep is one of the most important things for your health.

Studies have shown again and again that getting less than 5 or 6 hours of sleep at night can have devastating consequences for your health. Getting at least 7 hours, if not 8, should be your goal each night.

If you think that you just can’t make the time for sleep, consider this: Not only will getting more sleep improve your health, but it will also help you to have more energy and to focus more easily; therefore, getting more done more quickly and saving you time overall.

Your health should be your priority. Yet when you are faced with a busy schedule, it often gets sacrificed with a poor diet, inactivity, high stress, and lack of sleep.

You don’t have to overhaul your lifestyle overnight, but it is important to start making changes that can help you to protect your health. These baby steps can help.

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance blog and culinary writer, where recently she’s been researching cooking school online. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Scheduling: Holidays, Responsibilities, and Expiration Dates

January 2, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Starting out with a blank calendar for 2014, I am being intentional about adding items and activities this year. Seeing how easy it is to fill the space, I want only the best items to land on my calendar.

If I overextend our family, then we get cranky, tired, and less effective. Allowing time for spontaneous trips to the park or entertaining at home, I need to keep plenty of margin space in our schedule.

Using the Planning for Success series from January 2013, I am slowly adding items to my calendar. Knowing that everything is recorded in one place frees me from wondering if I am missing something. By writing and scheduling these items, I can consult our calendar knowing that the planning has been done.

Though I took the entire month of January last year and scheduled one theme on my calendar each day, I am grouping similar items together this year. With my calendar selected and printed, I am verifying or adding the following items to prepare for a successful 2014:

1. Include Holidays: Planning for Success – Day 15

My calendar of choice includes most holidays, but non-Federal holidays, like Groundhog Day, Daylight Savings Time, and Pearl Harbor Day, are not always listed. To add the holidays our family honors and celebrates, I use these two additional lists to record the holidays and special days on our calendar:

No Frills Calendar
Holiday Calendar

2. Set School and Work Activities: Planning for Success – Day 8

Since we have chosen a private school education for our older children, we are tied to the school activities listed on the school calendar. These activities include science fair, history fair, field day, field trips, special days, and volunteer opportunities.

Though my volunteer responsibilities have been limited, I choose to help my children’s teachers on a weekly basis. These activities are listed on my calendar to prevent over-committing or double booking.

As work activities arise for Paul, I add those to the calendar. These entries might include parties, travel, conferences, early meetings, or late evenings. Most of these types of activities come up throughout the year, but any that I know of at the start of the year get added to the calendar.

3. Record Membership Expiration Dates: Planning for Success – Day 4

Finding valuable benefits in having annual memberships, our family invests in these money-saving options. Currently, we only have one active membership. Our zoo, recreational district, and garden memberships expired this past summer. Our science membership is still active and will be renewed this year.

In seeking memberships, I keep watch on the daily deal sites (like Groupon, LivingSocial, etc.) for discounted memberships with reciprocal benefits. Reciprocal benefits means that members gain access into venues in addition to the membership location. I will share, in another post, how we chose our science membership and the benefits we receive.

4. Note Daily Deals Expiration Dates: Planning for Success – Day 11

For any daily deals I have purchased, I record the expiration dates on our calendar. I also add a note in the top right corner of each month on my calendar indicating available deals leading up to the expiration date. This way, when I am looking for a family activity, I can easily see the reminder to use any deals purchased.

Not only do we purchase family activities and memberships, but also restaurant and theatre deals for date nights. All these deals come with expiration dates which get noted on our calendar for use before they expire.

5. Highlight Contract and Subscription Expiration Dates: Planning for Success – Day 9

Our home is reaching the 10 year mark. As we had our home built, we still have some warranties that are in effect. With the expiration date of warranties closing in, I am scheduling inspections of those items prior to the warranty expiration dates.

Other items to include are cable, phone, insurance, medications, newspaper, and magazine expiration dates.

In planning for 2014, I plan to succeed by using time wisely recording holidays, responsibilities, and expiration dates. For more details of what items to include in each category, please refer to the Planning for Success links where I recorded detailed lists and suggestions.

Taking time to plan for success, I will continue to review and re-post the links from the 31 Days of Planning for Success series last year. Rather than listing all the posts, I will address these themes in groups of similar items throughout January to get our year off to a great start. Happy scheduling!

Question: How are you planning for a successful 2014?

Scheduling: Due Dates, Payday Deposits, and Credit Report Schedule

January 5, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Knowledge is freeing. Knowing where items are located, the balance in our accounts, and the dates of time-sensitive materials, we can make informed decisions knowing we have used all the tools available to gain that information.

Having completed the Planning for Success series last year, I did not feel tied to my calendar. In fact, I loved seeing all the details as I could easily move items around without forgetting anything.

I find planning eases my mind from having to remember everything. I don’t need to lie in bed wracking my brain to remember what I forgot to do.

As I continue Scheduling 2014, I am adding more items to my list. I have not completed all 5 items from the prior scheduling post, but I have jotted down the items I still need to record. My list includes a magazine subscription, a newspaper subscription, and 2 home warranty dates.

In addition to my list, I am adding monthly due dates, payday deposits, and credit report schedule and using the FREE printable to stay organized while using time wisely.

6. Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills: Planning for Success – Day 5

Listing due dates a day or two prior to the actual date gives me a little leeway should I get behind on paying bills. Since I pay bills twice a month, I rarely get close to the due dates, but the buffer puts my mind at ease when crunch time comes.

In addition to our mortgage, utilities, tuition, and other monthly bills, I record paying my children an allowance. I discovered last year that we went 4 months without paying them simply because I forgot. From that point on, I have marked my calendar with the word “allowance” to remind me. It works as I haven’t forgotten since recording it on my calendar.

As I pay bills each month, I record the amounts on our bill pay record. Having included the FREE printable last year, I updated the record for you again this year. 😉

FREE PRINTABLE

Bill Pay Record – 2014 (.pdf version)

Bill Pay Record – 2014 Excel version (Microsoft Excel version)

You are welcome to download, customize with the Excel version, and use this FREE printable. To share this resource with others, please forward the link to this post rather than sending the file directly.

Thank you for protecting Using Time Wisely’s copyright.

7. Post your Payday Schedule: Planning for Success – Day 19

Not only does posting the payday schedule let me know when money will arrive, but it also reminds me to check the pay stub. With Paul’s check getting automatically deposited and the pay stub available online, I must remember to check the online stub for accuracy.

Back in the day, the pay stub was sent via mail or interoffice envelope, but now the stubs are only available online. Mistakes happen. A co-worker of Paul’s learned the hard way when she discovered at the end of the year that her federal taxes had not been deducted. She never checked her stub and trusted that all was well. It was not, and she was left with a hefty tax bill.

To catch payroll errors, check your pay stub. Though I review after each pay period, you will want to scan your pay stub at a minimum of 3 times a year:

After the first paycheck of 2014
After the first paycheck of the start of your company’s fiscal year
After any salary changes

8. Insert Credit Report Schedule: Planning for Success – Day 6

With the rise of identity theft, one needs to stay alert to unusual activity. One way to do so is to request your FREE credit report from each of the three credit bureaus on a rotating basis. If you were to request all 3 at the same time, then you will need to wait an entire year before checking again.

To watch our credit throughout the year, I request our reports on this schedule. By seeing two different reports every 4 months, we will be able to identify any new or unauthorized accounts before any more damage is done.

Since I would forget without a reminder, I schedule to request this year’s reports a day later than the date on the current report. For example, if February 10, 2013 is the date on Paul’s Experian report, then I schedule to request his next Experian report on February 11, 2014. This way the report is FREE.

In scheduling 2014, the monthly due dates, payday deposits, and credit report schedule land on my calendar to free my mind from remembering these important tasks. As I seek using time wisely, I find a calendar with all the details a great tool.

If you live by your calendar, I hope these resources help you know what needs to be done to free you to using time wisely. Happy scheduling!

Question: How do you keep up with all the details of life?

Scheduling: Keep your Priorities in Front

January 21, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

The best way to using time wisely is to keep your priorities in front. As you focus on the best for you in your season of life, you will find freedom in saying no more often and ignoring good options to make room for the best opportunities.

While reading Crystal Paine’s new book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, which is available today, I found a number of quotations that reinforced lessons I am learning.

One of those quotations was, “Living with purpose means wisely choosing and committing to a few of the best things for the season of life you’re in.”

As I focus on “a few of the best things,” I am adding those best things to my calendar. From the Planning for Success series last year, I am adding my priorities. To keep your priorities in front, schedule them on your calendar.

10. Add your Priorities: Planning for Success – Day 2

Thankfully, we have eliminated most of the activities from our schedules. My son chose not to play soccer this year which freed up 3 days a week in our schedule.

Since he was not tied to a team responsibility, he was able to seize a great opportunity to take a course teaching him how to develop a video game. He is really excited and ready to get started soon.

11. Reserve Time for your Priorities: Planning for Success – Day 18

As I have no big events on our calendar, I still reserve special time on the weekends to spend with our family. Whether it is a trip to a science center, decorating our home, playing a game, or creating a craft, I schedule the time on my calendar to be sure my family gets time with mom.

I need that time with them, and they appreciate that time with me. It is easy to fill those time slots with other good options, but focusing on my priorities – my family – is the best use of that time.

12. Document Family Holidays: Planning for Success – Day 25

While adding items to my calendar, I include those special family dates. Birthdays are always fun for phone calls, Facebook posts, and gifts. The anniversaries are special, but the deaths seem to mean the most.

As family members pass away, their memory fades with time. Knowing that someone remembers is such a comfort for those difficult days.

13. Choose Event Dates: Planning for Success – Day 22

A few parties and entertainment events are on our horizon. By scheduling a tentative date, I can remember that that event will occur around that time when I check my calendar. I almost overbooked a weekend because I had a retreat date written down as a tentative date. Oops!

When I confirmed the date, I had not adjusted my calendar. However, seeing the retreat slotted the week before jogged my memory to check the date before confirming the other opportunity. Whew! Crisis adverted because I had an entry that caused me to check the dates. Yay, the scheduling worked!

14. Register Community Events: Planning for Success – Day 29

Though my children are outgrowing the Simon Kidgits events, they still enjoy monthly activities at the science center, Home Depot’s Kids Workshop, and Lowe’s Build and Grow. As these events are planned, I add them to our calendar in case we plan an outing on that day.

For more community events, check Using Time Wisely’s Facebook events page.

15. Secure Doctor Appointments: Planning for Success – Day 13

In keeping our family’s health a top priority, I mark reminders on my calendar to schedule appointments. Our dentists’ schedule months in advance, but our family doctors’ and pediatrician only book 3 months in advance. As we all have annual checkups, I need the reminder to get these appointments scheduled.

In using time wisely to schedule 2014, I continue to add the best items to our calendar. Seeing empty spaces on the page relieves me from feeling overwhelmed. Keeping my priorities in front, I know best where to spend my time.

As you schedule 2014, I hope you can see your priorities and focus on making those non-negotiable. Keep your priorities in front and you will use time wisely. Happy scheduling!

Question: What are your priorities this year?

Scheduling: Deposits, Transfers, and Payments

January 26, 2014 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

For those of you battling the flu, stay warm, get your rest, and drink plenty of liquids. With a 6-day contagious time frame, Paul has been home, coughing, and miserable.

Our children have had fevers off and on this week, and our family is resting this weekend.

In looking at the calendar, January is almost over. With only about half of the items from the Planning for Success series on my schedule, I am adding the following deposits, transfers, and payments reminders as I get my desk back in order:

16. Verify Paycheck Deductions: Planning for Success – Day 26

If you have not checked your paycheck deductions yet for 2014 and you’ve received a paycheck, please schedule a time. I shared in this scheduling post how forgetting to check the pay stubs created a mess at the end of the year.

17. Establish Automatic Transfers: Planning for Success – Day 27

For those who already have automatic transfers setup, just check them to make sure the amounts are fitting your current situation. If you need to put more in savings or pay more down on a loan, then you can adjust your automatic transfers to save time from manually making them.

18. Setup Bill Pay: Planning for Success – Day 12

The bill pay option is so nice. I love being able to just add the amount of the monthly bill, schedule it, and forget about it.

Having just checked each bill pay option to verify that payment is sent to the correct address on the billing statement and that all recurring payments are accurate, we are good to go. Checking these accounts for accuracy, I pay the bills each month knowing that all is correct.

In using time wisely to check your deposits, transfers, and payments, you will know where you money is going without spending lots of time following up on when the payment posted.

With the payday noted on my calendar, I refrain from checking it off until I look over the pay stub. With the transfers and bill pay options, I record the due dates on my calendar.

As you continue scheduling 2014, mark the items you need to help you pay your bills on time without late fees or spending unnecessary time paying manually. Happy scheduling!

Question: Do you use automatic transfer and bill pay options?

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