Many times, I have sat and looked out the window during lockdown and just reflected on what has this shown me. Being confined to your apartment, house or family home has had a negative impact on many but at the same time a real positive impact.
It has shown many that their jobs can function with the same productivity as if they were in the office, if not more productive. One of my clients has found lockdown working from home a real asset in the creation of a healthier lifestyle. She has reduced her stress levels, has more time for herself and is much happier with the way she looks and feels.
Why you ask?
Her lockdown experience has taught her that when it comes to work, she doesn’t need to be at a desk in an office with air conditioning, no view, no space, bad habits and negative vibes. What she needs is control over her workstation, location and schedule. She still works 9 to 5, hits her targets and clears her to do list. So, what has changed?
She can get up in the morning, grab a fresh coffee from her coffee machine, heads into her living room, completes her personal training session. Then she gets the children up, sorts breakfast, gets them ready and takes them to school. (Now is when it gets interesting.)
She then goes home, (usually she would fight through rush hour traffic, grabbing a latte and a bagel and setting up at her desk where she pretty much would not leave until 5pm) she opens her laptop and logs in, grabs her overnight granola she made, check her emails and starts her day. When lunchtime comes, she logs out and closes her laptop for 45 minutes, she prepares a lovely lunch, does 15 minutes stretching and sits quietly to eat her lunch. She has found lunchtime zen. Then she logs back into work and completes her afternoon of work with a healthy protein shake at her side for when she feels hungry.
The best part of her day is she clocks off at 5pm, goes and picks the children up and heads out to the park. When they get home the children help with dinner and they sit have a healthy balanced dinner. Her words, “Amazing, to be able to spend time with the children and not be running around.” She then gets some more me time. As the children have gone to bed, she logs into her fitness app with her Personal Trainer and joins a HITT session or uses the recorded use at home HIIT workout as part of her package. After completing that, she grabs a shower or sometimes a bath, a hot camomile tea and reads her book. Heads to bed happy, less stressed and feeling great about her day.
She has found the lockdown a positive with the time she now gets for herself and her family but at the same time doing the job she wants. Her progress has been overwhelming because she has found a consistent approach to her training and focus on her goal.
Our friend works with her personal trainer three times a week for an hour, tracks her workouts, classes and daily activities in the fitness app. She prepares food in advance, tracks her calories and water intake. She tracks sleep and steps. Her weight is tracked every morning, progress photos taken every two weeks and her body measurements once a month. Every step of the way these pieces of information form a picture of what works and what doesn’t.
Habits have formed over weeks of hard work and consistency, if she forgets a meal she doesn’t stress, she takes the time to check and record. She plans meals out or family events to ensure she can enjoy the foods she likes. All this in lockdown.
What about post lockdown?
You are now thinking that’s all going to change now we are coming out of lockdown and she will fall back on her progress.
The answer is actually “No”, she has already made a plan for post lockdown. She has agreed to work from home still and will attend meetings in the office on certain planned days and they will be in the middle of the day not to impact on the school run and her personal training sessions. She has moved her personal training sessions outdoors twice a week and does her emails before the children get up to give her an hour at 9am for herself. She still plans in weekends foods and days out into her nutrition to stay on track. Her routine is going to be pretty much the same.
This work and will continue to work because she put herself first, she made her day about being her best and making the day epic. Many people I see and speak to always say my job doesn’t allow that, many jobs probably don’t but have you asked your boss the question. Have you gone to them and said, “I need to get fitter and healthier; I need to make this work so I can be my best for you?”
Your first step is lunchtime, take a stand and clock off for your entitled lunch break, go for a walk, hit the gym for 30 minutes. Our friend here, did ask her trainer for 30-minute sessions every lunchtime plus one other time and that was an option she could use.
Consider your day and make it work for you, post lockdown is giving us all an opportunity to work differently. The best part of this situation is your health and happiness need to, no, MUST come first.
If you think you are ready to make a change, to become the best you can, to make everyday epic, then get in touch and start your journey with Inferno Fitness Academy today.