The Oxygen Mask Principle
You ’ re travelling on a plane with your family , when suddenly the oxygen masks drop from the ceiling . You ’ ve listened to the safety demonstration a gazillion times before , so you know you must put your mask on first , before you start helping anybody else – children , husband , stranger sitting next to you . And that ’ s what you do . You know , that in order for you to survive , you put your mask on first , no questions asked .
So now here ’ s a little TRUTH BOMB for you …
Your health and well-being is exactly the same as that oxygen mask . Without it , without you looking after you first , you won ’ t survive – motherhood , entrepreneurship , the turbulent flight that we call life .
As women , as mums and as entrepreneurs we constantly push our health and wellness needs aside when it ’ s essential for us to function effectively . Why ?
What if , as we are writing our 2018 Business Plan , we also write our 2018 Health and Well-Being Plan ? We sit down and write out a plan that makes our health a priority so that :
• Everything feels easier and you feel less stressed
• Productivity ( and therefore profitability ) increases
• You ’ re a happier mum and partner , friend , family member
• Your confidence and self esteem improves
• You look and feel amazing , which impacts every other area of your life
Sounds amazing doesn ’ t it ?
So , here is a guide to writing your 2018 Health and Well Being Plan . It really can include anything that ’ s important to you , however it should include these 5 basic principles :
1 ) NOURISHMENT
Food is fuel . It ’ s designed to nourish your body . Are you choosing to fuel your body with poor quality fuel or are you giving it the premium options ?
TIP : Plan to eat 5 times a day ( every 2-3 hours ). Choose foods that provide nutrients and nourishment to your body . These include lots of vegetables , lean protein , healthy fats and slow burning carbohydrates .
2 ) HYDRATION
Aim to start your day with 2 glasses of water . In total you ’ ll want to consume 2-3 litres throughout the day . If water is tough for you , try infusing it with mint and cucumber or having herbal teas like peppermint or chamomile . Aside from counting towards your water intake , they have their own health benefits ! Using a large drink bottle is also helpful .
3 ) MOVEMENT
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Are you moving your body every day for 20 minutes or more ? Not only is this great for building or maintaining lean muscle , its also beneficial for stress reduction and releasing happy hormones into your body .
Can you do a call while walking ? What about getting up 30 mins earlier to do an online exercise session ? Can you walk the kids to school rather than driving ? Can you start your work day 1 hour later to get your gym session in ? Make it work for you and schedule it into your day as a non-negotiable appointment with yourself .
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