How to Maintain Healthy Habits When You Go Back to Work

We all know that getting back to work after the holidays can be stressful, and that many of us struggle to get back into a routine and maintain healthy habits.

Good intentions get postponed — “I’ll start next Monday” — only for that Monday to keep moving further away. Before we know it, we’re procrastinating, feeling guilty about it, and heading into Christmas exhausted, stressed, and with a few extra pounds to shed.

Your energy is low, life is busy, and comfort food and the couch feel too tempting to resist.

Only for the cycle to start again in January, when we look for some short-lived, quick fixes or detoxes for the new year, hoping that this time will be different.

How to break the cycle of inactivity and demotivation

Lack of time is often cited as the reason we struggle to take consistent action.And you’re right.

September through to the end of the year can be incredibly busy. Work picks up, routines change, social commitments increase, and suddenly there never seems to be enough time in the day.

Shorter, darker days add to the challenge and can leave us with less energy and motivation to do the things we know are good for us.

So, how do you maintain healthy habits when you’re busy, stressed, and short on time?

Focus on high-ROI habits

The secret isn’t to do more. It’s to choose one or a few high-ROI habits and make them a priority. In other words, when time and energy are limited, you want your effort to count.

Choose something relatively easy for you to implement that gives the highest benefit.

When you’re short of time, low on energy, or stressed out, you need to make your healthy choices worth your while. ( If you would like some ideas, you can read my blog post here)

How to choose the best healthy habits for you

This is often the tricky part. There is tons of information out there, but it is often confusing and contradictory.

For example, drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is an easy and generally beneficial habit. But on its own, it’s unlikely to create a dramatic change in your overall health.

Let’s take intermittent fasting, for example. It does have great benefits, but most people are confused about it: should l I skip breakfast or have an early dinner? Is it going to raise my cortisol levels?

Personalisation is the secret. Having the right guidance in this process is the difference between a calmer, healthier you, OR arriving at Christmas feeling exhausted as usual.

Work with me

I am taking a few new clients in September. A non-diet, food-first, bio-individual approach that is centered on what works for you and gives you the best ROI for your time and effort.