4 Organizational Strategies to Fit Healthy Living into A Busy Lifestyle

Do you ever wonder how you can progress closer to your health and fitness goals in the midst of a crazy schedule? Today, we’re outlining four key strategies that you can use to stay organized and fit healthy living into your busy lifestyle!

You’ve reached a point in your life where you’re ready to get fit, ready to be healthy, ready to start feeling good about yourself. Maybe you just had a baby and you’ve been so focused on caring for your little one that you’ve put your own goals on the back burner. Or maybe you’ve been focused on your career and work has taken over your life. Let’s just say that taking care of your own health and fitness goals has been your LAST priority.

Does this sound familiar?

If so, I can totally relate. I had my first baby 6 months ago and let’s just say life has been CRAZY. There’s hardly any time to think let alone get anything done!

The truth is, after pregnancy, I was eager to get back in shape and feel like myself again. But I found it challenging because I felt like I was constantly in demand. Feeding the baby every hour, constant diaper changes, responding to the cries of my little one. It seemed like there was always something.

Eventually, we were able to find our groove and gradually I’ve discovered some strategies that have allowed me to care for my baby while also focusing on my own needs and goals.

There IS hope!

What I’ve learned is that it simply requires a little planning, organization and tools to help you keep your life in order!

Here are some of the key strategies that I’ve learned along the way that you might find helpful as well when it comes to making healthy living a priority in the midst of a busy lifestyle!

1. Make a List

Anyone who knows me is very much aware that I love to make lists! The problem is, sometimes I love making lists so much that I make too many lists..and they’re ALL OVER THE PLACE!

Take it from me, the best way to stay organized is to write down everything you want to accomplish in a week in ONE place.

Record every little thing that you want to get done. And I mean EVERYTHING, including errands, appointments, workouts and food that you require from the grocery store (it can help to organize the food by categories).

Heck, I even write down when I’m going to have a shower!

Yeah. Life with a baby.

I find a cute little agenda is the perfect accessory to have on hand when it comes to keeping your to-do list neat and organized and prevent that all-too-common feeling of overwhelm (check out some my favourite agenda picks here)!

Carry your agenda wherever you go and write down things that you need to do or buy as you think of them. I like to call this a “brain dump.”

With a crazy busy lifestyle, it’s so easy to forget the things that you want to accomplish, so this strategy alone can help clear your head and make you feel more focused and organized.

2. Create an Action Plan

In addition to making a broader list of everything you want to accomplish, I also find that it’s helpful to narrow that list down and set specific goals at the beginning of the week to help you focus on what you want to accomplish each day.

I usually recommend setting 2-3 small goals or concrete action steps every week that can help you progress to your larger long-term goals (i.e. weight loss or improving your overall fitness level).

Use the few minutes of quiet time in your day to map out your goals and plan for the week. For me, this generally happens while I’m at the gym doing cardio or after my baby goes to bed. Do it at a time when you can think clearly and  focus (AKA not when your baby is screaming!) so that you can really prioritize what you want to accomplish.

These days, I love to use little sticky notes to remind myself of my goals for the week.

For example, one of my current goals has been to work out five days per week for at least an hour focusing primarily on strength training to increase lean muscle and follow that with about 20-30 minutes of cardio at the end of each session.

It’s important that you make the goals both specific and realistic.

Stick the little sticky notes somewhere you can see them — on your fridge, your computer, on a bulletin board, wherever they’re staring you RIGHT IN THE FACE.

It will serve as a reminder of the goals that you set and keep them top of mind for when life gets crazy.

I am loving these cute little floral sticky notes because they’re pretty enough to stick anywhere without screaming “hello fluorescent paper!” They’re practically like decor!

3. Map out Your Workouts

One thing about me that you might not know is I’m a very visual person. If you find that you operate in a similar fashion, another strategy I recommend is to program your workouts for the week into a monthly calendar so that you know EXACTLY which days you’re going to exercise.

Just like you write down your meetings, appointments and coffee dates with friends, it’s also important to schedule your workouts into your week.

BUT here’s the kicker. It’s not enough to just write it down and be done with it. You actually have to SHOW UP in order to progress towards your long-term goals.

This super cute calendar is the perfect tool to help you visualize what you’re setting out to accomplish each day.

It’s the perfect size to leave on your desk or post on your fridge and the cute colours and patterns will leave you feeling more inspired to get the job done!

And writing with pretty pastel-coloured pens always makes planning more fun and enjoyable, don’t you think?

4. Plan Your Meals

Finally, a strategy I always recommend is planning out your menu for the week. Just like it’s essential to map out your workouts, it’s also incredibly helpful to plan your meals ahead of time rather than just winging it. If you’ve got a plan in place, you’re less likely to grab for those convenience foods that can derail your progress.

I find using a pretty menu planner and categorized grocery list can be a cute and fun way to stay organized and inspired for a healthy lifestyle.

You can download the menu planner I’m currently using here! Just print out multiple copies of the menu planner and grocery list and arrange it in a binder or on a clipboard.

Then get to work writing down the recipes you wish to prepare for the week and all of the food items that you’ll require.

The good news is, once you’ve completed a few weekly menu plans, you can recycle them continuously in future months.

It sounds like a lot of work at first, but once you do a few weeks of menu planning, it will get easier!

I promise.

So there you have it! A few key strategies to stay healthy and organized in the midst of chaos.

So just to reiterate, we want to:

• Create a list
• Set clear and concrete goals
• Map out workouts
• Plan weekly menu in advance

These are some of the fundamental action steps that you can take to start living a healthier lifestyle today~!

And on a side note, I don’t know about you, but I always find that I always feel so much more motivated when I get a new pair of cute gym clothes. Similarly, I also find that when you have pretty accessories to stay organized it’s so much more fun and inspiring to plan out your week.

Give it a shot!

You might just find that you LOVE your new organizational system ;)

This post is sponsored by The White Pad. All thoughts and opinions are my own.