Two glasses of wine

OK, so some of you have been noticing that I haven't been posting as often as I used to.
The thing is, I am really, really, super-duper busy. Like, knot in stomach, piles of paper, accidentally double booking appointments, taking the train in the wrong direction kind of busy.

The kind of busy where something's gotta give. And lately that something has been this blog. I started this blog because I love thinking about wellness - nutrition, yummy food, yoga, relaxation, what have you, and I felt truly inspired to share these thoughts with the world. But lately, with everything else that has been going on, it can feel a bit like a homework assignment that hangs over my head and causes me stress. Sort of ironic, huh?

I've had thoughts of transitioning to more of a monthly newsletter format. But I got some incredible feedback from last weeks post about yoga/self-limiting thoughts, that inspired me to keep up with more regular postings. They may be shorter than in the past, and at times I may skip a week of posting.

Just letting ya' know.

So the other day, I was feeling massively overwhelmed when I got a "forward" from my friend Naomi. It was exactly what I needed to remember in the moment, and thought I would pass it on to you.


Two Glasses of Wine:

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine...

 A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
 
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."
     
"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff."

 "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room
for the things that are important to you."

 "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope.
There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend."

I never turn down the suggestion to go have a glass of wine with a friend.... So with this as inspiration I am going to sign off and go do exactly that.

_________________________________________

Taking in IN:

What are the golf balls in your life?

The pebbles?

The sand....

Burnout Prevention 101

So, it's 9:46pm. It's been a full day and a full week.

I met with a new client on Monday.

The Shake Off had it's finale on Tuesday night. (These women rocked it by the way. "I have a totally new morning routine!" said one participant about her new commitment to morning stretching. Others increased their exercise, gave their afternoon snack a makeover and carved out more time for creativity.)

Today I worked a full day with my teens, had a conference call in the afternoon,  and then scurried home to make a quick dinner before seeing evening clients.

Now weave wedding planning through all of this.

I am tired.

One of the several projects that I am working on right now is an exciting workshop to be held at Fit 4 Life on February 15th.

The title?

Burnout Prevention 101: A workshop for educators and non-profit professionals

I think it might be time to start listening to my own advice and stop burning the candle at both ends.

I am really excited about this workshop though, so I'll steal a few more minutes to tell you about it.

We have designed this workshop especially for teachers, administrators and non-profit professionals.

Having worked in the NYC school system and in non-profits for the past ten years, I know how tough this field is.

The problems are complex and often unsolvable.  The stress is high and the resources to help are few. Add to that that people who go into "caring professions" tend to put others needs before their own, and you have the recipe for burnout. In this field, the only way to last is by becoming an expert care-taker for yourself. You can only give fully to others, when you have taken care of yourself first.

In Burnout Prevention 101  I'm going to arm participants with valuable tools to increase energy, manage stress, and add more fun into the day. Participants will:
✔  Get easy to follow meal and snack recipes that will give energy all day long.
✔  Participate in a fun, stress melting fitness class.
✔  Discover the hidden causes of stress.
✔  Learn which common foods can actually exacerbate your stress.
✔  Learn the top 5 stress-reducing stretches for the workplace.
✔  Practice easy fool proof techniques to help you manage stress at work and at home.

For all the details and to register click HERE!

Please also feel free to contact me with any questions.

For those of you that can't attend, I promise to include little snippets from the workshop in future posts.

In the meantime, here are my top 5 ways to unwind after a stressful day:

5. Watch a fluffy TV program
4.  Cook a nice meal
3. Take a bath
2. Have a glass of wine (red, and in moderation of course)
1. Go to a yoga class or to the gym (especially the steam room!)


What are your top 5 ways? Post 'em as a comment so others can benefit from your wisdom.

Notice anything new about me?

So, In. Wellness Community (IWC), do you notice anything new about me?

IWC: Did you get a new hair cut?

No...

IWC: Are you wearing different makeup?

Wrong again!

Give up?

I've got some new flair! You can check it out to the right of this post. I was awarded "Top Health Blogger" status by Wellsphere.

This is one of those things that sounds much more impressive than it actually is (though I did have to apply), but what it does mean is that each and every In. Wellness post will now automatically be re-posted on the Wellsphere site for thousands to read. Very exciting. Plus, I have started making B call me "America's Next Top Health Blogger" which I find very funny.

I mention this not to toot my own horn, but, as I will now be reaching a broader audience, I will be altering how I post a bit. From time to time, I may need to explain a bit more about myself and what I do.  And, while my posts will still be personal, I'll also want to take some steps to preserve my privacy and the privacy of others in my life.

So, that's that! Let's get on with this weeks post.

This past Sunday was Daylight Savings Time and I, for one, loved it.

Most mornings, I get out of bed feeling (and sort-of looking) like this kid:

But on Saturday night, I got into bed at midnight, which became 11pm, then slept until 8am which felt like 9am! I popped out of bed feeling as sprightly as a bunny.

What followed was an incredibly productive day. I exercised, went to the farmers' market, made a delicious breakfast for B & I (scrambled eggs with zucchini, mushrooms, and Parmesan cheese - on top of a slice of sprouted grain bread, served with a dash of sriracha hot sauce on the side), did laundry, met with a coworker to plan our after-school program, ate dinner with B (yummy falafel he brought home from some place in Williamsburg), watched a movie, and was back in bed by 10pm.

It felt like I finally had enough time in the day.

As our bodies readjust to the time change, and our "I'll just hit the snooze button once more" instincts creep back in, it seems worthwhile to revisit some of the principles of time management.  Lest we squander our gained hour.

The secret to managing your time is about working smarter, not harder. It is about prioritizing the important things and learning to use your time effectively.

Some of us, by nature, organize and get tasks out of the way before we relax, while others of us play first and work later. It is important to know which type you are and whether your style is allowing you to have the life you really want.

Maybe you are the super-organized type but need to learn to schedule more time for relaxing and fun.

Or perhaps you are a naturally less organized person who needs to click off the TV and write that grad-school application.

Rather than beating yourself up, realize that time management is an area of your life that you can strengthen. Like a new muscle, it takes practice and repetition to make it stronger. To help you get started, here are some steps to streamline your days at work and at home.

• Allocate time for planning and organizing. Sunday afternoons are good for this. Create a to-do list for the week. Start by just listing everything you want to accomplish during the week from grocery shopping, to painting your toenails, to calling your grandmother. Then start breaking the list down by spreading the items out over the course of your week. Remember, we usually don't get to everything on the list. Keep it manageable and put the most important things at the top.
  
• Under-schedule your time: Leave time for the unexpected and for interruptions. When you estimate how long something will take, add on a third of that time.
• Bundle like tasks together.
• Look for hidden pockets of time - (waiting in line, subway rides, lunch breaks)
  
• Practice the art of intelligent neglect: Eliminate trivial tasks.
  
• Consider your biological prime time: At what time of day do you work best? Plan to do your most important work at that time.
• Learn to say no and set boundaries around your time.
  
• Where possible, ask for help and delegate.
• In the evening, revisit your to-do list for that day and acknowledge yourself for what you have accomplished. Forgive yourself if you didn't get to something. You're human. Review the next days list so that you can end your day with a clear head (this can help a lot with nighttime anxiety and sleep problems).

Make sure to examine the biggest hindrances to using time effectively: procrastinating and lacking purpose.

Procrastinating: We usually procrastinate when a task seems too daunting and complex and we feel we won’t be able to handle it. When you get that “deer in the headlights” feeling, try “chunking”: break the large task into smaller, manageable action steps and start with the first one.

Lacking purpose: We often drag our heels when we view a task as boring or uninspired. Stay connected to how even the most menial tasks help you accomplish your larger goal. I may hate the act of balancing my finances, but I love when I have saved responsibly and can go and buy some new clothes. (Confession: I really should never be buying new clothes... I have plenty... See future post on learning how to say no to yourself!)

As you strengthen your new time management muscle, be patient and play around! Good time management can be your ticket to greater satisfaction, increased effectiveness and a more peaceful and fun-filled life.