Me Time: How To Develop Time for Better Self Care

me • time management • lifestyle • health-wellness

by Joyce Harrell on November 21st, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Developing time for your self care in relation to your physical body does take a little planning. I am addressing the need of incorporating better nutrition into your routine. How do you plan meals? I want to ask you first if this is an area you want to improve on.

One thing I really learned as a wellness coach is you need to be motivated for the change. This series on “me time” is going to address your self care. By this, I mean your physical care, your spiritual care, emotional care, and social care. You may be more motivated to work on your spiritual care right now. If that is the case, the spiritual care is where you will benefit most from your focus. What I am going to suggest is that you print off this series and start with the area you are most motivated to change. When those areas have improved, then move on to the next area you are ready to change.

Let’s start with how you make time for nutritional self care. Begin by looking at how you currently eat. Do you eat on the run? Do you plan meals out for the week? Does your family have a busy schedule? Years ago I did a lot of once a month cooking and froze meals for a month at a time. This did save a lot of time for me. That’s one idea. There are many once a month cookbooks on the market. What I find wrong with this approach though, is that all your foods are frozen (except for adding a salad or other fresh veggies) and you either are microwaving everything or you need to thaw out the food and bake it. This method lacked the fresh food I have come to love.

I have found a better way (at least for myself) that is more nutritional. Instead of having one big shopping day and one whole day set aside for cooking, it is broken down into small weekly time spots. I was doing this before Kathy Kaehler made it popular. She calls this the Sunday Setup. The bottom line is weekly, you purchase items like fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, brown rice, quinoa, poultry, other meats if preferred, cheese, and your other staples. You set aside about 2 hours for prep. Also you will need containers with lids. I prefer glass storage containers. Then cook your meat, boil your eggs, prepare the rice, and cut up all your veggies. Place all food into separate containers and put into your fridge. The nice glass containers look so nice all lined up and stacked with pretty colors of veggies, fruits, rice, meats, and eggs.

It is so easy to have quick tacos as your meat is already cooked, the cheese is grated, and you add some veggies, and you have a meal in about 10 minutes. It takes about 2 minutes to pull together a salad with veggies and cooked chicken. Don’t forget healthy smoothies: almond milk, bananas, frozen strawberries, and a handful of green spinach. Voila! Quick, tasty nutrition! (and you don't taste the greens)

Planning is the key to success in self care and your physical body. Set your intention today and start taking the small steps to permanent change!

How do you make sure to get some "me time" and take care of yourself? What do you do on a daily basis to practice self care?

Joyce Harrell is a Mom, Wife, Nana, Nurse, Health & Wellness Coach, Low Glycemic Mind-Body Transformation Coach, Author, Certified Vision Board Coach, and Aromatherapist. Her unique talent is to empower self-acceptance and purposeful living utilizing wellness principles, low glycemic education, vision boards, and essential oils. Joyce emphasizes simple principles for individuals who desire to feel better about whom they are as they are empowered to bring positive changes to their emotional and physical selves. In addition to being a Registered Nurse, Joyce has also received training as a wellness coach through Wellcoaches, and The Wellness Inventory coaching programs. She has co-authored the soon to be released book Heart of Success.

In addition to her Health/Wellness coaching business, she has founded the organization Nurses On The Edge, for nurses who are stressed, eat on the run, or are on the edge of burnout in their nursing careers. Her wellness programs can be utilized by individuals, groups, or the workplace. You may contact Joyce at [email protected], or get on her mailing list at http://www.lowglycemicnurse.com. Receive your free copy of CPR for the Kitchen Pantry when you opt in for her newsletter.

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JoyceHarrell

Joyce Harrell is a Mom, Wife, Nana, Nurse, Health & Wellness Coach, Low Glycemic Mind-Body Transformation Coach, Author, Certified Vision Board Coach, and Aromatherapist. Her unique talent is to empower self-acceptance and purposeful living utilizing wellness principles, low glycemic education, vision boards, and essential oils. Joyce emphasizes simple principles for individuals who desire to feel better about whom they are as they are empowered to bring positive changes to their emotional and physical selves. In addition to being a Registered Nurse, Joyce has also received training as a wellness coach through Wellcoaches, and The Wellness Inventory coaching programs. She has co-authored the book Heart of Success.