DEAR HARRIETTE: I developed a couple of bad habits over the summer. I started eating ice cream like there was no tomorrow, and I started binge-watching reality TV.
I found that the two go together beautifully, too. I know that this is not healthy.
I can’t even tell you how busy I am in my life. I don’t have time for these distractions, but I can’t seem to give them up. I fear that the 20 pounds I gained over the pandemic will just continue to grow if I don’t do something. But I am not motivated at all.
Can you help?
Unmotivated
DEAR UNMOTIVATED: Sit yourself down and do an assessment. What do you want for your life?
Evaluate each corner of your life to make individual determinations. Start with your weight. What is your weight goal? How do you think you can reach that goal?
Movement will help you lose weight, as will monitoring your caloric intake. Schedule 30 to 60 minutes per day when you are moving. It could be walking, riding a bike, stretching, going to the gym or running. Schedule it in — then do it.
Review what you eat each day. Decide to replace one unhealthy food item with a healthier choice.
Why not start with ice cream since you named it as a challenge? Stop buying ice cream. Buy sorbet instead. Read the labels to make sure the caloric and sugar amounts are lower than what you were buying.
Eventually, leave the sweets out altogether. Do this incrementally.
Regarding the binge-watching, give yourself one indulgent night per week when you go for it. Otherwise, turn off the TV.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been so busy between work and family obligations that I have forgotten some key family dates and even some work responsibilities.
I feel like I am barely treading water when it comes to getting things done, which is crazy since I’m the one who is usually on top of things.
In part, I think it’s because the world is now hybrid. I had been building my schedule based on going from one meeting to the next in a blink by logging onto one Zoom after the next. Now, I may have two Zooms followed by an in-person meeting and even a trip.
I’m having a hard time keeping track of my life.
Need a Lifeline
DEAR NEED A LIFELINE: Balancing schedules in this hybrid world can be tricky. As you point out, whereas you may have needed one or two minutes to go from one meeting to the next when we were locked down, now you may need an hour — or even a day. This shift in time management requires a new way of keeping track of your duties and schedule.
I like to write down my schedule on a whiteboard so that I can see it at the same time I use the calendar on my smartphone. I now add “IN PERSON” next to any activity that requires me to travel. I build in travel time on my calendar so that I can see what time is reserved for movement. It feels a bit cumbersome now, but it works to ensure that there is enough time between appointments.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to [email protected] or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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