Fight Fatigue With Fitness

During the winter months, most of us feel as if our "get up and go has got up and went." One of the best ways to fight fatigue is with fitness.

Fatigue, or lack of energy, is often cited as one of the reasons that many people aren't able to keep their commitment to an exercise program. Ironically, one of the benefits of exercise is improved energy, but you have to find the time to fit it in amongst all of the other demands on your time.

If you stop to evaluate, you'll probably realize that the dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time. It is basically a problem of priorities. If the "urgent" is crowding out the "important" in your life, this is a good time to look at your priorities, set some new goals, and get re-committed to a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Follow these five simple steps that will help you get your healthy lifestyle plan refocused and refreshed:

Make a list of your priorities. Write down the 10 most important things in your life. Where do you want to go in life? How do you want to get there? Who and what are really important to you? What do you do that is really important? What merely fills time? If you feel overwhelmed, overcommitted and frustrated with the many roles and responsibilities in your life, it may be time to re-direct your course according to your priorities.
Set 5 long-term goals and 5 short-term goals that are based on your priorities. When setting your goals, choose those that advance you toward your priorities and eliminate those that don't. Set physical, mental, emotional and spiritual goals that will lead you toward a balanced lifestyle. A long-term goal might be something that you wish to achieve within 3 to 5 years. For example, if one of your priorities is good health, some long-term goals could be to exercise regularly, get stronger and eat healthier. Short-term goals will help you get specific about how you will make those long-term goals happen. If you set a goal to exercise at least three times a week for the next year, for at least thirty minutes each time, you can achieve that long-term goal in short-term steps.

Decide how you will implement those goals practically into your life. It's fine to set goals, but if you can't carry them out then they're useless. Schedule these goals into your day and treat them as you would any other important appointment. This tactic will be helpful when you get caught up in pursuing the urgent, rather than the important. Decide what days you will do your 20-minute strength training routine. Schedule walking or running "appointments" with a partner and hold each other accountable. Don't let that weekly yoga class that stretches your body and relaxes your mind get crowded off your schedule.

Consider time invested into your own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth as valuable and important. Don't view it as selfish. Instead, look at it as putting fuel back into your tank, giving you the energy to give, share, and contribute effectively to the many areas in your life that demand your time. When you get to that point where you are wishing for a thirty-hour day, go back to your list of priorities. Let the way you spend your time reflect those priorities.
Don't wait and procrastinate. Start your list of priorities, set your goals and schedule them in starting today. It's a lot easier to procrastinate than to take action, but let those feelings of determination that you have right now move you forward. Remind yourself daily of your priorities, believe without a doubt that you can achieve your goals, and stay dedicated to achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle.