Every Little Bit Helps

With the first week of winter term under way, I'm reminding myself that even the small things make a difference in my health and happiness. This week, I've already found myself making steps to set good habits for the next 10 weeks and not just give up because my stress level is at the max.

For example, I've done the following that I know might not seem like much, but add up over time:

1. Parking a bit further away from the door in our parking garage for the extra movement

2. Always take the stairs (up or down), even when I have a few bags in my hands

3. Do things in separate steps - go to the bathroom {return to desk}, shred a piece of paper {return to desk}, fill up my water {return to desk}, rather than doing multiple tasks at once. While it may save some seconds to multitask, it doesn't get me moving as much.

4. Bringing plenty of snacks or meals. Being hungry stresses me out. Learning and being active makes me hungry. In order to be effective with my time, be healthy, stay more relaxed, and stay on budget, bringing my lunch bag from home stocked with good food makes a lot of sense. I don't understand the people who say they forgot to eat breakfast or lunch... What?!

5. Exercise {no matter much or little time I have}. Monday morning, I did a short run + strength workout, Tuesday eve I met up with friends Stef and Danielle at a local group run, and Wednesday I only had time for 15 minute strength work video and a short walk with the dog. Sore muscles make me happy. Enough said.

6. Prioritizing sleep. While I could always use a little more sleep, I try to remind myself that staying up an extra hour to study or read won't do me as much good as that extra hour of sleep would. I've also found myself turning off my early alarm {to exercise or study} to snag an extra 30 min of shut eye.

Extra credit: Have you watched the video from this young woman who made her health a priority and kept a video diary of it for 100 days? Definitely inspiring. I think it's a great example how someone can make noticeable changes on their own with a little bit of motivation.

Do you have any 'stay healthy' tricks you utilize on a regular basis? What are you looking forward to this weekend? I've been craving a good burger and sweet potato fries. I may just need to seek it out.