A couple weeks ago I mentioned that I wanted to start my own happiness project. Essentially to create sustainable habits each month throughout the rest of the year to streamline my life.
Even though I know the general areas I want to cover and the first area I’m focusing on, I’ve spent too much time trying to figure out exactly what order I want to do everything in. But, I’m just not sure yet.
These are the general areas I’ll be working on:
- Healthy, Energy
- Kids
- Random Acts of Kindness
- Work
- Household
- Finances
- Family/Relationships
The first area I’m focusing on is health.
Inspired to Action
Reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin is what initially inspired me to start this challenge but there were also other books that contributed to my idea: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, The Habit Factor, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
I’ve taken little tidbits of wisdom from each of these books to formulate my plan. Although, my first goal will be the same as was in The Happiness Project.
I feel exhausted nearly all the time and since being healthy was one of my biggest goals for the New Year that’s where I’ll start my focus.
Focusing on Health and Energy
It only seemed logical to focus on the one area that could impact my life the most. I get tired very easily so I want to focus on health and energy. Not just physical energy but also mental and emotional energy.
Since this is the one area that I can never seem to conquer I’m actually going to spend two months on it. I started at the beginning of February then got knocked off the bandwagon. (We all three had the flu and the roads have been too unsafe to drive on. Thanks never-ending snow storms.)
February and March Health and Energy Goals
Here’s the master plan for February and March:
Workout Three Times Per Week – Physical Energy
I knew that I’d need accountability in this area so I went and found some. My aunt, cousin, and I started doing workout videos three times per week. I’ve already gotten thrown slightly off track due to being sick and also due to the fact we’ve had so much snow that my car won’t make it up her driveway.
Until the snow clears I’ll have to do a little working out on my own. Luckily, the boyfriend has a treadmill and I’ve been successfully walking/jogging for about 30 minutes two to three times per week. (That’s a lot for me!)
Eat Breakfast Everyday – Physical Energy
I’ve talked about it before: I hate eating breakfast. I don’t know what it is about eating in the morning but the thought of it almost makes me sick.
This was one of my big goals for January and I tried a few different ideas to see if they’d work. I’ve finally found something I can stomach in the morning, Greek Yogurt Tubes. Yeah, the kind made for kids. But it’s a start!
I’m not going to make big plans for changing up my entire eating habits. I know that if I try to overhaul things overnight I’ll only fail. I’m starting with breakfast and hopefully one good new habit will spill over into other places.
De Clutter – Mental Energy
Last week was flu week in our house and I didn’t do any cleaning at all. All my energy went to trying to get my work done and of course, taking care of my girls. The mess that accumulated was horrible and I felt like I couldn’t even think. This was a great reminder that I need a clean house to function properly.
Generally speaking my house stays pretty cleaned. However, I have two weaknesses – laundry (doing it and then putting it up.) I start with a mountain of laundry that needs washed and end with a mountain of clean clothes that need put up. Finding matching socks for the girls can sometimes be a challenge.
The other are of clutteredness is toys. The girls have too many things that they don’ play with and yet they still get strung all over the house.
I’ve already tackled my closet, getting rid of almost half my clothes. Next comes the girls closet and the black hole of a toy box!
Get on a Sleep Schedule – Physical and Mental Energy
I never go to bed or wake up at the same time. After I put the girls to bed I’ll usually sneak in some extra work, read a book, or repeatedly watch all the seasons of Sons of Anarchy 😉
I’ll stay up fairly late, usually until around 12 -1 am, and then wake up whenever the girls wake up, anywhere from 5:30 – 7:30 am.
When I take a step back and look at this it’s kind of easy to see why I’m always exhausted.
Not enough sleep + no physical activity + not-the-best eating habits = always tired.
Final Thoughts
There are actually a lot of interesting facts I’ve now learned about happiness, health, energy, and so on but I’m going to save those for another day before this post turns into a book!
I’ll be diligently working on my health and energy goals throughout February and March.
Are there any specific goals you’re working toward this month?
Health habits are definitely great goals to start with! I continually struggle with diet and exercise. I blame it on a hectic work schedule, but I really need to stop making excuses. Best of luck!
A sleep schedule is so important. It is the #1 priority for me. No one else can sleep for you! You can get take out for dinner and ignore the house but you gotta sleep! It is frusterating that it seems to take 2 or 3 weeks to get in to a good schedule and only 2 days to lose the schedule !
Alexa do you have a generally low appetite or just in the morning? Because I’ve read a lot about low appetite being related to magnesium deficiency. Apparently a lot of people are low in magnesium because, even if we eat a lot of produce, the produce we eat was picked green. Fruits and veggies pick up magnesium from the soil when they’re close to ripening. So unless we eat a lot of foods that were picked ripe, we may not be getting enough.
Sleep is so important. I notice such a difference in my energy and mental attitude when I get my 8 hours. More than that and I am sluggish. I am also trying to say out loud the nice things I think in my head. If I like someones outfit. I tell them. If they do a good job. I try to let them know. I know how great I feel when someone says something nice to me so I am trying to do the same. Stay positive Alexa, even during this dragging winter, it is even more important.
This is a great plan! I’m working on improving my health, in many of the same ways your are. Health and fitness has always been something I’ve struggled with. I have awful eating habits and don’t sleep enough. Pretty much a recipe for disaster.
Great plans for these months! It’s clearly something that I should do as well, and I might borrow your goals for march. I am already eating breakfast daily, but I am still almost always tired. Started going to the gym and thought that I will completely exhaust myself but indeed this fills me with energy. Now it’s time for some extra sleep! 🙂
Health is wealth. Many people especially young ones, were very eager and dedicated to their works and the worst thing is that they take for granted the health risks for their doings. For me, the most important thing to start your health habit is by taking your breakfast and eating healthy foods.
I would like to make sleeping a priority, but it’s just not going to happen. I think it’s more beneficial for me to focus on working out and eating right. I know others who get 8 hours of sleep a night but they don’t do much of anything outside of their 9-5 and I do a ridiculous amount (relatively speaking). Maybe one day 😉
We only have one body to make it through life. Best to take care of it so that we do have the energy to accomplish all we need to each day. I have to get enough sleep, stay fit and energized just to keep up with my kids. 🙂
I unfortunately am on a similar sleep schedule as you are, and you’re right: there’s no big mystery for why I feel tired. For some reason, and I’m sure it’s just a bad habit, I really don’t like going to bed. I fight against it.