In last week’s post, I described a baseline routine for my overall physical, emotional, and mental health. It’s a rough schedule based on how my energy flows. This energy is directly related to my physical and mental health. I’ve been adjusting my routine since last fall, and it’s become solid and consistent enough to withstand the curse of boredom. When boredom strikes, I usually give in to the urge to try something new or abandon my routine altogether. The novelty of the new is always my temptation.
anyway.
Today I want to share more about my flexibility-first health habits. Again, none of this is new or groundbreaking. What is new and groundbreaking for me is: why I prioritize these habits over other habits.
Why I Prioritize Healthy Habits
These health habits stuck because I wasn’t doing them to achieve a specific goal (like checking a box every day). I did them because they made me feel good. Some days I was able to focus on one or two of these habits, and other days I did them all. Most of the time, I was at a 70% level. It wasn’t the time I put in or the intensity that mattered, it was the consistency.
I don’t prioritize each of the pillars of wellness equally. Typically, one pillar dominates over the others in any given week, and the scales can tip the other direction whenever necessary. Most days are varied. Having the pillars makes it easier to pursue life in my own unique way and avoid a familiar cycle: depression and burnout.
It’s not the amount of time or intensity that matters, it’s the consistency.
Your Personal Wellness Blueprint
Before we begin, a disclaimer: what makes me feel good may not be what makes you feel good. My definition of “good” may be different than yours. I highly encourage you to ask yourself what “feeling good” means to you, and build your routine and wellness pillars around that. You’ll be far less confused about your health and wellness if you prioritize listening to your inner intuition and body cues over someone else’s routine. Your body, your choice.
So those are my four pillars of wellness and examples of how they show up in my life.
My health pillars for 2024
1. Sleep and rest
There’s a reason this pillar is number 1. Without it, I’m nothing. I like to think of rest as an activity, not an inactivity. Prioritizing rest is a gift to me. For me, this pillar isn’t just limited to the act of resting my body. It pertains to any habit that helps me deal with overwhelm. Below is a list of the things I do to fill my cup:
Sleep and rest related health habits
- I sleep at least seven hours every night.
- I try to wait at least an hour in the morning before having coffee (it’s hard and I fail often!).
- Limiting your caffeine intake during the day can help you sleep better at night.
- Practice mindfulness when you feel overwhelmed.
- I work in 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks in between (this is called the Pomodoro Technique – learn more here ).
- Instead of keeping it all in your head, write it down.
- I don’t drink unless I’m in a social situation.
- I keep a calendar and notebook next to my bed to write down anything I might need to remember tomorrow.
- I don’t use my phone before bed (or before breakfast most days).
- I almost never watch TV before going to bed.
2. Fuel
This pillar includes food that is good for my body and what nourishes my mind – books that I read, movies that I watch, entertainment that fills me up. I’ve found that when I’m alone or with my family (I’m a true introvert), I get the most out of the activities that “fuel” me. Some of these activities overlap with work, but with a very important difference: these activities energize me and leave me feeling fulfilled – not drained or depleted. Below is a list: give My fuel would be:
Healthy habits that give me energy and vitality
- Cooking nutritious meals
- Being on the outside
- Prioritize healthy fats, protein, leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables in your meal plan.
- Eat dark chocolate
- Read a cookbook
- listen to music
- Read a book in your favorite chair
- Watch a movie from your “To Watch” list
- When you turn it over advertisement Magazines and coffee table books
- Take a Master Class
- Organize your space
- Tidying up your home
- Hugs for the kids and Joe
- To meditation
3. Activities
The next pillar is about the activities I prioritize. Many of these examples build self-confidence and resilience because they are not “comfortable” in the process. I do these to challenge myself and most of the time I feel good as a result. These are activities that I “do anyway” – I don’t always want to do them, but I never regret it later.
Prioritize activity as a health habit
- Do Pilates in a reformer class or at home
- Running or walking long distances
- Playing tennis
- Creating a business plan
- Social Media Posting
- Improved personal financial insight
- write
- design
- Horticulture
- Learning a skill that doesn’t come naturally to you (e.g. speaking French or playing the guitar)
- Socializing with lots of friends
- Hosting a large dinner party
- Take the kids on an adventure
- Have a game night with your family
- Cooking with kids
- Travel planning and travel
I try to juggle these three pillars, but know there’s never a “perfect” balance. There are times when I prioritize sleep and rest, times when I’m in a flow state and work later or more often than usual, and times when it’s essential to push myself through discomfort. These pillars (like my daily routine) are here to act as guides and support my energy.
Note: After over-prioritizing self-care for a long time, I’ve found that challenging myself is just as important to my mental health as sleep and rest. This may not be the same for you, but it’s worth considering if you find yourself slipping into a state of apathy.
Speaking of energy, the final pillar is…
4. Boundaries
Boundaries are not natural to me. I want to say yes to everything. I love full courses. It fulfills me to know that what I do matters to someone. I love my friends and family and want to do all I can to connect with them. But we all It’s not good to do everything, especially at once, so I always go back to thinking about my energy: what fills me up and what drains me of it.
This pillar is where I’ve been learning the most lately. I feel uncomfortable setting hard boundaries when part of me wants to go to that show or take on that extra project that I know I can’t fully commit to. What’s helped me is making a list of the things that drain me. That way, when I see the connection between what I want to commit to and how I feel afterwards, it’s easier to say “no.”
What consumes me
- Ambiguous projects with vague deadlines
- Unpaid work
- gossip
- General negativity and feelings of helplessness
- Being around people who cause havoc
- Black and white thinking
- Multitasking
- Social media comments section
- Doomscroll
- Virtue Signaling
- Rumination and worry
- Self-help as a means to self-improvement
I hope that after reading through my health habits and pillars, you will at least be interested, even if your habits are very different from mine. Next week, I will write about the changes I have made to my journaling and personal growth habits, which has been the biggest area of change in my life so far in 2024.
Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning tennis and will forever be Testing the limits of her creativity. Follow her on Instagram Follow.
