This past week, ABC aired an exclusive television news event featuring 30 hours in the life of our President. It was advertised as “unprecedented access - where cameras never go - no question off limits.” ABC’s Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos was given the opportunity over the course of two days to spend 30 hours with the President, doing everything from traveling in his armored limousine, hitching a ride on Air Force One, sitting in on a day of meetings in the Oval Office, greeting him in his West Wing residence, and conducting a sit down interview in the Rose Garden of the White House. When you spend so many hours with someone “behind the scenes”, you are bound to get answers to many questions, including the large ones of national importance as well as the small ones covering the personal details of one’s life. We learned from the 1,800 minutes of unprecedented access that the President only sleeps four hours per night and that he starts each day without participating in what many consider “the most important meal of the day.”
What would we find out about each other if cameras were allowed to follow us around for a day and a half? Are you getting enough sleep? Is breakfast part of your routine? Are you snacking on M&M’s all day? Is your energy buoyed by caffeinated drinks or protein smoothies? Would the cameras show you spending any time exercising or would they reveal that you have an extra strong relationship with your phone? If you shudder at the thought of what the cameras would reveal, then perhaps now is a great time to turn the spotlight on your daily routine.
If your day even remotely resembles that of our President (lack of nutritious food, running on empty, missing meals, working well into the night, no fitness routine, and spending an excessive amount of time checking social media, the news and texting), then you don’t need an ABC news special to tell you that your schedule (and life) needs a major overhaul. Your sleep habits, what you eat, whether or not you exercise, and your use (or abuse) of technological screen time and the television should be among the areas being addressed and altered. George Stephanopoulos may not have told the President that his routine is extremely unhealthy, but I am here to tell you that if you keep up this pace, your health will eventually be compromised.
I am here to help you revamp your routine and get started on living a healthier, more productive life. You can do this! And you don’t need to let a television crew into your home to make it happen. Here are my tips. If it sounds as easy as “SLEEP, EAT, EXERCISE - REPEAT”, you are correct!
- Skip the late night internet surfing and television watching and get to bed by 10pm. This means you’ll hopefully be asleep by 10:30 and will get at least 6.5 - 8 hours of sleep. No iPhones allowed in the bedroom...unless you are using it as your alarm clock...in that case, put it on airplane mode and place it across the room.
- Start your day with breakfast. It doesn’t have to be fancy or take a lot of time to prepare. Get our your blender, throw in some berries and spinach, non-dairy milk, nut butter and ice...quick, easy, full of fiber and nutrients and will keep you going for hours!
- When you get to work, block off an hour or two to get your most important tasks done first, before you get caught in the trap of checking emails and taking meetings. The only way to be able to do this is probably to be the first one at the office so you can get some work done without getting interrupted. If you do this, I promise you it will be the best part of your work day.
- Whatever your day involves doing, get up and take a break every 60-90 minutes. Sitting is the new smoking! Make a point to get up out of your chair, walk around, stretch and disconnect for even a few minutes. Your focus will improve and you will have more energy to keep going.
- Eat something healthy for lunch and make a point to do this sitting down without any work in front of you. Fill your plate with a protein, some vegetables, and healthy fat. Fill up your water bottle and if it is possible, get some fresh air and natural light.
- Go home at a decent hour. The law of diminishing returns will kick in the longer you stay at work. Whatever work is left undone can be added to the top of your To Do list for tomorrow.
- Make time for things that will fuel your body, mind and soul - exercise, reading, meaningful conversations with your family and friends, journaling, taking a hot Epsom Salts bath.
- Sit down and eat dinner - no standing at the kitchen counter and shoveling in leftovers from the the fridge or multitasking and eating dinner while watching television! I have written before about the benefits of not only eating healthy food, but taking the time to do so in a relaxed and positive environment.
- Implement a relaxing night time routine.You wouldn’t dream of putting a baby to bed without first turning down the lights, putting on the lullaby music and comfy pajamas, and warming up the bottle. We deserve the same TLC. Start with a cup of chamomile and lavender tea with honey, dim the lights, run the bath, turn off the WIFI and the TV, and treat yourself with the care and love that you deserve.
See, I told you it was as easy as SLEEP, EAT, EXERCISE and REPEAT! Now you know what you have to do. Even implementing just a few things from my master list will leave you feeling better, stronger and healthier. As I often say, “do something today that your future self will thank you for.” Too bad George Stephanopoulos didn’t share the same message with our President!