the busy girl's guide to staying healthy

as most of you know i have a fairly new job where i'm teaching mommy & me classes, and oh boy! is it ever exhausting.  it's 6 nonstop hours of singing, shouting instructions, running, playing, and dancing.  i can barely catch my breath for the 2 minutes between each class.  so with my new busy bee life, i've had to find better ways to stay healthy.  and by "healthy" i don't just mean combatting all the germs one can catch from leaky kiddies {aaah! germs!}, but more so in finding good ways to maintain my sanity.

here are some of the things keeping me healthy in every area of my life.
maybe some of the things that work for me will work for you too?

mentally

when you spend the day singing with a
hand puppet, it's important to take time to
challenge the mind and feel like a grown up.
i try to read psychology journals, engage
in deep debates with the mister {we love
good ole fiery debates!}, or listen to npr.
that way i make sure to continue
 expanding my knowledge outside of
singing and dancing with the little ones.

other ways to feel mentally sound are
journaling, continuing your education
through workshops and classes {i hope to
start sign language classes this fall}, or take up
a new hobby {there are so many things i
want to learn how to do!}.

emotionally

i've found that it's essential to give myself a transition between work and anything else. we do this with kids in a classroom setting, but as adults, we tend to forget this important practice. when i get home i take an hour to do something that helps shut off my "work" brain and gets me ready to fully devote my attention to my personal life. some people like going for a run, cooking, rocking out on their commute home, or reading a good book.  i like to have uninterrupted quiet alone time that involves some sort of entertainment - arrested development, reading hyperbole and a half, or scrolling through beautiful photos on pinterest.  during this time i focus on letting go of everything that happened through the day and laugh as
much as possible so i can feel recharged and
move on to other things.

socially

i really hate schedules, especially when it comes
to things {or in this case, people} that i love.
but penciling in a date with the mister or coffee
with a friend is the only way i can spend
quality time with my loved ones now that i'm
working all sorts of weird hours.  i keep
these dates as i would any other appointment or
work schedule - once it's in the planner, it's not
going to get bumped, because being with
loved ones is probably the most important
way i can spend my time.  some of you suggested
protecting your "people" time by setting aside a
weekly date, like movie nights every monday
or family dinners every friday.
what a fabulous idea!

spiritually


i make the extra effort to wake up crazy early {5am!!}
so i can sip tea and write out my morning pages
{a type of journalling}.  i absolutely hate mornings, but
taking that time to get all those thoughts out of my head,
focus on my deeper life goals, and dedicate my day to
doing good is so necessary for my overall attitude
throughout the day.  i always feel so much better after
i've chosen to be quiet and listen to my inner voice.
i also try to write out what i'm grateful for at the end
of the day, so no matter what has happened i am
reminded of my blessings.  problems have a way of
seeming a little less troublesome afterward.
other ways to be spiritually healthy are exploring
different religious practices, meditating, or
volunteering for a good cause.

physically

to keep my energy up and avoid getting sick i make
sure i sweat for 30 minutes at least 4 days a week.
i also always get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. this is hard for me because i have to wake up
in the wee hours of the morning, but i'm a total night owl!  so in order to fall asleep on the early side i end
my day with a hot shower and some relaxing yoga.
i use my yoga online to experience guided yoga
and meditation on the cheap in the comforts of
my own living room {they offer pilates, ballet,
and belly dancing too!}.  they have all sorts of
styles, levels, and time limits so you can find a
practice that's right for you in each moment of
the day. other people i know like to fit in an early morning run before work, join an exercise class
at the gym, or take family walks and bike
 rides in the evenings.

nutritionally

a few weeks ago i confessed how little i like to cook or
stop to eat in my busy day.  as i'm sure you can imagine
eating at my new job is especially difficult for me.  i don't have much time between teaching classes to eat, but i need more energy there than any other time in the day, so finding something healthy and easy was vital. right before i got hired, i was sent some samples of rush bowls.  thank heavens!   they're ridiculously healthy frozen smoothies, packed full of vitamins, protein, and fiber.  plus they have a great selection of flavors.  i pretty much live off smoothies at home, but i can't exactly cart my blender and freezer full of frozen fruit to work, so these little bowls have become my power-boosting snacks. go go gadget energy!  they come with packs of granola {or crispy rice, depending on the bowl}, and are ready to eat after a couple hours thawing in the fridge. they're perfect for grabbing a
few spoonfuls of energy whenever i get a free moment.
you can order them here, or you can find them
 at select whole foods.

so how about you?
how do you stay healthy and sane during your busy days?

{1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8}