047: How to Fit Running and Fitness into Your Hectic Life

How do I possibly fit it all in?  I feel like I am struggling to keep up right now with work and family...where am I going to find space for improved eating not to mention mental and physical personal health?  When trying to combine work and kids and fitness you can quickly feel overwhelmed. How do you make sure that every area is getting its attention?

This episode covers the steps to regularly check in and make sure you are clear on what you want to accomplish to be happy and satisfied and not simply busy but mentally fried.

First, you need to carefully and honestly set your priorities.  This bit of advice comes from basically every self help book you will ever read.  Take time to write out the categories in your life and then order them by importance.  Actually write this down. Decide on the major goals that fit the categories and understand the timeline involved in reaching these goals.  Again, actually write this down. Now check in on the list again with a very honest eye about your priorities, starting point, and goals. Erase and rewrite as needed.  

Some common categories to assess include:

• Physical Health
• Emotional/Mental Well-being
• Romance/Love Life/Intimate relationships
• Hobbies/Leisure Time
• Professional Growth/Career
• Environment
• Friends and Family
• Finances
• Spirituality
• Personal Growth and Development

The second step is to clearly explain your reasons for the goals and priorities on the list.  Find your why. Again, rewrite as needed when you find conflicting goals or you notice that all of the reasons seem to point to the same priority, yet you put that one low on the list.  Be honest here so you are not disappointed later.

The third step is critical and may be more difficult for some than others.  Reach out to your support network and let them know about your goals, your timeline, how that may affect them, and how they can support you.  By now, you should be able to explain your why to anyone whether that is your spouse, kids, or boss. Those close to you need to at least accept the goals, and if they are not fully on board, you are going to need some extra cheerleaders.  Open communication at the outset and throughout the path to your goal is crucial for you and your supporters.

Finally, when you have carefully and honestly come up with your list of priorities,  created goals within those priorities, reasoned out your why for the goals, and built a solid line of communication with your support network, you need to stay on the path toward the goals.  The path may get a little winding and stretch longer than anticipated, but you need to keep going in the direction of the goal because that is where happiness lies. Even if you just take baby steps, you will be happier and more fulfilled knowing that you are working towards your goals every day.

As a bonus tip: When new situations arise, evaluate them according to your priority list and say no if you have to.  If things in your life do not align with your current priorities and goals, say no. Don’t give yourself one more thing to do, leading to further overwhelm and less time to focus on the things that are actually important to you.  When you reach the goals you had set, depending on the goal, you may need to take another look at the big priority list. This list of steps should be looked over on a regular basis to make sure that the priority list still aligns with what you want.  Check in on the list at least every 90 days and consider as often as 30 depending on the timeline of your goals.

To sum it up:

1. Set your priorities.  
2. Set your goals.  
3. Talk to your support crew.
4. Align your actions with your goals, spending more time on the higher priorities and less time on the lower ones.  
5. Re-evaluate regularly to make sure that you are still spending your time in the right areas to bring you the most fulfillment in your life.

 Resources:

• Smart Life Push Journal by Chalene Johnson
• Push by Chalene Johnson
• Your Best Year Ever book by Michael Hyatt
• Michael Hyatt's Lifescore Assessment
• High Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard

Hope you enjoy it!! Let us know if you have any questions that you would like answered on our show!   

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