The 5 almost daily healthy habits of a crazy busy, yet semi-organized, twenty something.

I absolutely should not be writing a blog right now. I should be working, doing homework, or paperwork. But sometimes, I enjoy a little procrastination, as long as it's not to the point of an anxiety attack (totally likely).

true life.

Last week I wrote about the changes and the crazy busy life that has come into full swing around my household. Now, I don' t have kids (much to the disappointment of my water polo girls), but I do have a husband, and dogs, and cats, and clients, and college water polo girls, and teenage water polo girls that all need my attention on a daily basis. Because there are not enough hours in the day to complete everything I need to, I've created a somewhat organized system that has helped me stay mentally stable. And because there are plenty of people that are much busier than I am, I thought maybe I would share what has helped me maintain a balancing act of health and sanity.

1. Jared and I started a weekly devotional. It's called Love Dare.We shut off the tv, stop studying, get off facebook/pinterest, and put the phone away. It's intended to be a 40 day devotional, but because I don't see him every day, we decided it would be best to read it together weekly. After reading the weekly chapter, we have 1 week to complete the "dare" or activity that is associated with the topic of the devotional. Our first topic was "patience"...FAIL. Yes, I failed that love dare, surprise, surprise.  And was made fully aware of it! But anyway, it got better and we're on week 5! It's been a great way for us to reconnect in the midst of the crazy surrounding us. If your marriage or relationship could use improvement, or not, I still highly suggest doing something similar to this.

2. Buy a white board for the kitchen. I write meal ideas for the week (tacos, ribs, chicken, etc). Nothing too specific, but at least one of us knows what meat to pull out of the freezer in the morning. There is nothing I hate more than coming home after a seriously long day and not having any idea of what to have for dinner. I also write down what chores/errands need to be done at any point during the week as a way for me to have a visual reminder...as if a messy, dog hair covered house isn't enough of a reminder. Jared knows I'm obnoxious by nature, but I swear this little whiteboard has helped him know my "expectations" (yes, I know that sounds terrible), but often times he has to remind me that he is incapable of reading my mind and that unless I literally tell him what needs to be done, he won't know to do it. Fair enough- I'm always grateful for his help.

3. Exercise. It may be obvious, or not, but every single person can find time to exercise. It's beyond fitting into a certain size or lifting a lot of weight off the ground. Getting in a workout can improve the quality of your day and mental state. There are days that I lay in bed at 5:15am protesting the sound of my alarm and mentally finding a billion justifications of why I need more sleep. But if I give in to ignoring the alarm clock, I'll feel terrible the rest of the day. So, on days that you are struggling to find time to workout, allow yourself 10 minutes; everyone has 10 minutes. You don't need a gym, you don't even need shoes! Do something like 5 burpess, 10 jumping lunges, 15 sit ups and get it as many rounds of that as possible in 10 minutes. I swear, you'll feel good and will probably be able to sleep better, think clearer and be a better mom, wife, employee, boss, etc.

4. You know when you hear a song that makes you happy? Like, you either start dancing like a gangsta, line dancing like a cowgirl, fist pumping like Snooki and her baby, or twirling like a ballerina (even if all of this is just in your head?!). Well, I hope I'm not the only one. Anyway, find "your" songs and make a playlist, or a pandora station, or a CD (for those of you who also have a car that is on the verge of death, like mine is). HINT HINT JARED! Listen to your music and clear your head.

5. Meditate- or something like that. Find time to sit in silence. This is a rare occurance for me; typically I'm surrounded by the sound of treadmills, whistles, talking, splashing. However, I have recently made a point to sit in silence, usually in my car when driving to the gym, or to work, or home. This has allowed me to really take in everything that is going on around me and to express gratitude for all the blessings around me. Some of you may use this time to pray, or think about issues that are weighing heavily on your heart. This time can be used for positive self-talk as well; let the ideas stir and set little goals. Allow yourself this time, because most of you also live to please and work to take care of everyone around you, instead of focusing on you.

These habits have really helped me keep a positive outlook and stay organized on my really hectic days. Hopefully this has provided additional ideas for your to incorporate into your own life.  As always, thank you to who ever reads this blog and has expressed support for Jared and I and all that we have going on right now.