For many of you, you may work the 9-5, have kids that consume a lot of your time, or both. For the rest of us we work the 12 hour, work any day you can jobs and whether or not you have kids, it takes a lot out of not only you - but it takes away the few hours you have in a day to worry about things like your personal fitness, food choices, and whether or not you’re going to have a decent sleep or sleep at all.
To anyone whose reading this and thinks they know someone who has their shit together and doesn’t struggle one time or another with any of the things listed above… you’re mistaken. Everyone at one point or another has had life happen, sick kids, or late nights at the office in which cause you to eat take-out, miss the gym, and forget about sleep because you’ll be up in less than 5 hours to do it all over again.
Over the years, working the 12 hour shifts I struggled to find balance between all three.
But with much trial and error comes some clarity.
Lets break it down into ways you can improve each.
1. Physical Fitness
I know most can relate when the last thing you want to do after working a long day is spend the few hours you have left in the day inside of a gym. Have you considered doing at home workouts or basic exercises and stretches while at work?
For days I don’t feel like going to the gym I use 'Nike NTC' app for easy downloadable workouts and yoga that can be done both in the gym and at home.
2. Nutrition We all know eating healthier is easier said than done. Here is a list of my top tips in helping you pack a nutritious lunch with snacks that will save you and your wallet from the food court.
Tips:
- Cook in bulk so leftovers can be taken to work
- Meal prep: a couple of meals at a time so it is easier to grab and go
- Aim for lunches rich in protein and a carb high in fiber to keep you fuller longer
- Always have 2-3L of water available to drink throughout the day. Based on how much water you should consume daily.
- Sip water throughout the day in order to consume the recommended amount
- If you prefer to see how your daily nutrition plays a role overall, try using 'MyfitnessPal' app.
Snacks:
- Cut up fresh veggies and put in a baggy so they are easy to grab and snack on while working
- Try hummus as a dip with veggies
- Small handful of almonds
3. Sleep
Last but not least, sleep. Gone are the days when Saturdays and Sundays were spent watching cartoons and sleeping in. As it is recommended to get between 7-9 hours of sleep a night, we know sometimes that just isn’t realistic. Making tweaks here and there could help you with catching your Z’s. If you have found ways that work for you to get as much sleep as you can then by all means don’t change what you’re doing.
For anyone who hasn’t, try these tips below.
Tips:
- If you prefer a dark space: try painting your room or hanging curtains that block out light
- Try to disconnect from electronics up to an hour before going to bed
- If you prefer noise: try using the app ‘TaoMix 2’. You can create a mash of different sounds and set the timer for the sounds to shut off.
- Set the room to a comfortable temperature
- Use an eye mask
At the end of the day everyone knows how important it is to take care of themselves physically, but also be aware of your mental health. Long days at work can cause stress on you mentally as well, so be sure to set aside at minimum 20 minutes a day to unwind and disconnect. Both physical and mental health are an important factor to conducting our daily jobs and activities in a positive way as well as safely.
Good luck!
FOCUS. STRENGTH. DISCIPLINE.
* If you have any tips to add, questions, comments, please email us at fembotonline@hotmail.com