Working out can easily transition from a stress reliever to feeling like another job that you’ve grown to dread. It’s important to think about your health from a holistic perspective; consider the wellbeing of your mind, body, and soul as a system of interconnected components. While being active, think of your whole being, not just specific muscles. Taking a holistic approach to your health and life, in general, can help ensure that you stay on a healthy track.
Working out can easily transition from a stress reliever to feeling like another job that you’ve grown to dread. When being active, it’s equally important to think of your wellbeing as much as your muscle mass. Approaching your health and daily life from a holistic way can help you enjoy staying on track and avoid feeling burnt out of your usual routine.
Living an active lifestyle rather than living at the gym
Many people directly associate working out with signing up for a gym membership. Instead of joining a gym, strive to increase the activity in your everyday life. Take the stairs, take a short walk during lunch or opt for a standing desk. There are many small changes you can make to your everyday routine to live a more active lifestyle. This can also be very helpful when planning workouts.
If you dread your workout- find a different one!
If you have a planned workout scheduled every day that feels more like a chore than an escape, it’s time to change it up. Being active should be fun! If you don’t find joy in the types of workouts you do, the desire to keep up with your workouts won’t last. Everyone is different, so take care in finding what works for you. Even taking the “routine” out of your routine may be the answer to more holistic health. Instead of scheduling a trip to the gym every day at 7 am, fill your week with multiple activities that you enjoy. There are many activities that don’t sound like traditional workouts but do your body good just the same. Taking the dog on a long walk, going on a bike ride with the kids, taking a morning hike on your day off, jumping on the trampoline, cleaning out the garage, or planting a garden in the backyard can all be beneficial to your health. Think about filling your week with meaningful activities that get your body moving.
Take some “me time” to exercise your mind, body, and soul
Workout classes and working out with a group of friends may be fun, but some time alone can be great for your mental stability. Take a run by yourself or do some yoga outside. This quiet session with yourself can help you clear your mind, de-stress and organize your thoughts. Taking time to refresh can help you ready yourself for work and other day-to-day tasks. If your life tends to involve constant interaction, a quiet retreat of an hour by yourself can do your mind, body, and soul some good.
Take a Spa day
Yes, you read that right. Taking care of your body means more than just working out and eating right. A massage can do wonders for your lymphatic system, circulation, loosen tight muscles, and de-stress your body. Take an hour to get a facial to take care of your skin and help you relax and unwind. Sometimes we get so caught up in taking care of the tasks and other people in our lives that we forget to take a moment to take care of ourselves.
Being healthy shouldn’t be a chore! It’s important to take care of yourself, in all aspects of your mind, body, and soul. Your health is your wealth. Approaching your life with a more holistic way of thinking can help you achieve a healthy ‘work-life-family and whatever else you can think of’ balance.
