loveyourchaos: pooki-chu: seriouslyamerica: caraobrien: pubhealth: Look How Quickly the U.S. Got Fat (1985-2010 Animated Map) 25 brief, delicious year. (From The Atlantic) I was born in ‘85. Interesting to see just how fast things have changed. Okay, cool graphic. But can we stop the bullshit discussions about how this is because people are too lazy to take care of their bodies? Can we finally address the ACTUAL root causes of this, like poverty (causing people to have no money for fresh foods, and NO TIME to prepare it because working three jobs is necessary just to pay the rent), food deserts (no access to healthy food), and lack of education (no, not that people think a Big Mac is healthy, but that they literally do not know how to cook and store food, because that’s something parents often teach and they have to time to do so - see above)? Can we talk about how processed food is considerably cheaper and INFINITELY more convenient for working people than fresh food? Can we talk about how most agricultural subsidies underwrite the cost of processed food? Can we talk about the way physical education is being cut from schools all over the countries, and many after-school sports are making the transition from free for all to pay-to-play? Can we talk about how free of charge safe places for children (and adults) to exercise are more and more scarce, especially in urban areas? Can we talk about how BMI, the formula used to measure “obesity rates,” is patently unscientific and absurd? And for the love of all that is good in the world, can we finally talk about how you can be healthy and obese at the same time? No, of course not. Because then we’d have to stop shaming people for their bodies - fuck off, Atlantic. ^^ I was waiting for good commentary on this before I reblogged. Thank you. Commentary.
View Separately

loveyourchaos:

pooki-chu:

seriouslyamerica:

caraobrien:

pubhealth:

Look How Quickly the U.S. Got Fat (1985-2010 Animated Map)

25 brief, delicious year.
(From The Atlantic)

I was born in ‘85. Interesting to see just how fast things have changed.

Okay, cool graphic. But can we stop the bullshit discussions about how this is because people are too lazy to take care of their bodies? Can we finally address the ACTUAL root causes of this, like poverty (causing people to have no money for fresh foods, and NO TIME to prepare it because working three jobs is necessary just to pay the rent), food deserts (no access to healthy food), and lack of education (no, not that people think a Big Mac is healthy, but that they literally do not know how to cook and store food, because that’s something parents often teach and they have to time to do so - see above)?

Can we talk about how processed food is considerably cheaper and INFINITELY more convenient for working people than fresh food? Can we talk about how most agricultural subsidies underwrite the cost of processed food? Can we talk about the way physical education is being cut from schools all over the countries, and many after-school sports are making the transition from free for all to pay-to-play? Can we talk about how free of charge safe places for children (and adults) to exercise are more and more scarce, especially in urban areas?

Can we talk about how BMI, the formula used to measure “obesity rates,” is patently unscientific and absurd? And for the love of all that is good in the world, can we finally talk about how you can be healthy and obese at the same time?

No, of course not. Because then we’d have to stop shaming people for their bodies - fuck off, Atlantic.

^^ I was waiting for good commentary on this before I reblogged. Thank you.

Commentary.

Source: pubhealth

crazysexyfierce: fitness-forever: 20 THINGS THAT ARE KEEPING YOU OVERWEIGHT  Even if you’ve kicked off a fitness routine and you’re choosing healthier food, you may not be seeing the weight come off the way you’d hoped. While there are plenty of other healthy accomplishments to celebrate, you’re probably wondering what’s not working. One or a few of these 20 weight-loss culprits may be all that’s standing in the way of your weight-loss goals.  You Overeat Healthy Foods Nuts, avocados, whole wheat pasta, olive oil, and dark chocolate are all natural and healthy, but they aren’t void of calories. You still need to watch how much you eat of the good stuff. For example, avocado offers a ton of health benefits, but an entire fruit is over 200 calories. Find out what the serving sizes of your other favorite healthy foods are here. You Don’t Eat Breakfast Skipping breakfast may seem like a great way to save calories, but your body will actually hold onto fat because it thinks it’s being starved. Keep in mind that people who eat breakfast regularly lose more weight, so make sure to eat breakfast each morning to jump-start your metabolism. Don’t just grab anything; include protein to give yourself sustainable energy and fiber to fill you up for hours. You Don’t Practice Portion Control When it comes to a balanced diet, we know that portion control is one of the keys to success. Keep measuring cups and spoons on hand to make sure your serving sizes are appropriate, and learn how to give your body the “I’m full” signal in order to help you drop the fork when the time is right and move on with your day. You Eat While Standing Up Standing at the fridge or the counter to chow down isn’t saving time or energy and can lead to mindless eating. It’s best to designate time for snacking and meals that’s set apart from other activities. You Don’t Sleep Enough Making time for your workouts can mean less time for sleep, but it’s important to get enough Z’s if you’re trying to lose weight. You need extra energy to keep up with your exercise routine, and skimping on sleep can affect your body’s ability to control its appetite: not enough shut-eye increases appetite-stimulating hormones. You Overindulge in Low-Fat Foods Going for foods with a lower calorie count can be deceiving, since many times they’re filled with extra sodium, sugar, or chemical additives to make up for the ingredients the company has removed or decreased. Not only are these light versions less nutritious, but they also end up tasting “lighter,” leading you to eat more. You’ll probably end up consuming more calories than you would if you just ate a regular-sized portion of the real thing. You Don’t Get Enough Veggies Eating five to seven servings of fruits and veggies a day is important for everyone, but dieters who go heavy on the produce are more likely to lose and keep the weight off, since a diet full of plant-based foods offers a greater variety of nutrients with fewer calories — and all that fiber keeps the body feeling fuller longer. You Think Walking Your Dog Is Enough A 15-minute stroll is better than nothing, but don’t expect to see dramatic weight-loss results. You’ve got to kick it up a notch — big time — and do at least 30 minutes a day of heart-pumping exercise. Big calorie and fat burners include running, spin class, interval training, hiking, and circuit training. You Don’t Cut Your Food Something as simple as slicing up your dinner can be helpful for your overeating woes. Cutting food into tiny pieces may seem slightly childish, but studies show that humans find smaller portions more satisfying and, as a result, are satisfied with less. You Still Drink Soda Soda offers literally no nutritional benefits, and continuing to drink the beverage is sabotaging your weight-loss goals — even if you only drink diet. Studies have shown that individuals who drink two diet sodas a day or more had waistlines that were500 percent larger than the nondrinkers. Since quitting soda is no joke, check out this 28-day plan for breaking a cola habit. You’re Addicted to Condiments and Toppings A salad is one of the healthiest meals you can have, but when you top it with bacon bits, goat cheese, nuts, dried fruits, and ranch dressing, you can double the calorie amount in a flash. Be aware of how many calories your favorite salad extras add on. For instance, 10 croutons is an easy 100 calories. You Don’t Drink Water Besides keeping you hydrated, drinking water on the regular, according to recent studies, can aid with weight loss. Filling up on water before a meal helps encourage portion control, and eating foods that contain a lot of water (like fruits and veggies) will fill you up faster, causing you to eat less. A small study even found that drinking cool water can speed up metabolism and discourage cravings for sugary drinks like soda and juice. Now, that’s a reason to stay hydrated! You Don’t Leave Time For Fun Since stress is shown to cause weight gain by triggering the body to eat more — especially foods high in sugar and fat — make sure you give yourself time to relax and unwind. And it’s an added bonus that so many fun activities (like dancing, hiking, and shopping) are already natural calorie-burners! You Exercise With an Empty Stomach If you regularly exercise without eating first, you should reconsider: when you work out on an empty stomach, research shows that the calories burned come from muscle, not fat. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, the more muscle mass you have, the better it is for weight loss. Not only will fueling your body help you avoid losing muscle, but also, you’ll have more energy to push yourself through your workout. You Only Do Cardio If you live on the treadmill but never lift a pound, then you’re missing out on one of the most important pieces of the fitness puzzle. Not only does weight training prevent injury by strengthening the joints, but it also builds muscle mass and increases metabolic rate. Bonus: thanks to a revved-up metabolism, you’ll keep burning calories long after you’ve slipped off your sneakers. You Eat Without Thinking Aligning mealtime with a screen like your computer or the TV can be hurt your weight-loss goals. Designating a special time for meals without distractions will help you connect to your food and, as a result, eat less. Sometimes you don’t even realize how much you’re scarfing when your mind is somewhere else. You Don’t Eat Enough Don’t starve yourself to save calories for later. It’ll not only mess up your metabolism, and by dinnertime, that famished feeling will likely cause you to eat more than you would if you weren’t starving. Not only is starving yourself not sustainable for continued weight loss, but also, limiting yourself to too-small portions can lead to excess snacking between mealtimes. You Leave Out Entire Food Groups Giving up entire food groups can lead to a nutritional deficiency — not to mention trigger major cravings for whatever food has been cut. Rather than, say, eliminating all carbohydrates, focus on whole grains and remember to monitor portion control. Usually it’s the extra servings that add to your waistline, not the pasta itself. You Never Indulge In an otherwise healthy diet, eating a few french fries or a piece of chocolate cake isn’t going to ruin your weight-loss goals. A study found that it isn’t necessary to up workout intensity the day after a piece of cake and that a daily variance of as much as 600 calories won’t reflect on your waistline, as long as you maintain a healthy diet in the long run. You Eat the Wrong Post-Workout Snacks A post-workout snack is just that — a snack. And unless it’s mealtime, what you eat after an average workout should be around 150 calories. Since healthy foods like trail mix can be high in calories, measure out a serving instead of mindlessly chomping straight out of the bag. If you’re looking for some ideas, here are 10 post-workout snacks under 150 calories Source: Fitsugar Love this. No bull, just straight facts!
View Separately

crazysexyfierce:

fitness-forever:

20 THINGS THAT ARE KEEPING YOU OVERWEIGHT 

Even if you’ve kicked off a fitness routine and you’re choosing healthier food, you may not be seeing the weight come off the way you’d hoped. While there are plenty of other healthy accomplishments to celebrate, you’re probably wondering what’s not working. One or a few of these 20 weight-loss culprits may be all that’s standing in the way of your weight-loss goals. 

You Overeat Healthy Foods

Nuts, avocados, whole wheat pasta, olive oil, and dark chocolate are all natural and healthy, but they aren’t void of calories. You still need to watch how much you eat of the good stuff. For example, avocado offers a ton of health benefits, but an entire fruit is over 200 calories. Find out what the serving sizes of your other favorite healthy foods are here.

You Don’t Eat Breakfast

Skipping breakfast may seem like a great way to save calories, but your body will actually hold onto fat because it thinks it’s being starved. Keep in mind that people who eat breakfast regularly lose more weight, so make sure to eat breakfast each morning to jump-start your metabolism. Don’t just grab anything; include protein to give yourself sustainable energy and fiber to fill you up for hours.

You Don’t Practice Portion Control

When it comes to a balanced diet, we know that portion control is one of the keys to success. Keep measuring cups and spoons on hand to make sure your serving sizes are appropriate, and learn how to give your body the “I’m full” signal in order to help you drop the fork when the time is right and move on with your day.

You Eat While Standing Up

Standing at the fridge or the counter to chow down isn’t saving time or energy and can lead to mindless eating. It’s best to designate time for snacking and meals that’s set apart from other activities.

You Don’t Sleep Enough

Making time for your workouts can mean less time for sleep, but it’s important to get enough Z’s if you’re trying to lose weight. You need extra energy to keep up with your exercise routine, and skimping on sleep can affect your body’s ability to control its appetite: not enough shut-eye increases appetite-stimulating hormones.

You Overindulge in Low-Fat Foods

Going for foods with a lower calorie count can be deceiving, since many times they’re filled with extra sodium, sugar, or chemical additives to make up for the ingredients the company has removed or decreased. Not only are these light versions less nutritious, but they also end up tasting “lighter,” leading you to eat more. You’ll probably end up consuming more calories than you would if you just ate a regular-sized portion of the real thing.

You Don’t Get Enough Veggies

Eating five to seven servings of fruits and veggies a day is important for everyone, but dieters who go heavy on the produce are more likely to lose and keep the weight off, since a diet full of plant-based foods offers a greater variety of nutrients with fewer calories — and all that fiber keeps the body feeling fuller longer.

You Think Walking Your Dog Is Enough

A 15-minute stroll is better than nothing, but don’t expect to see dramatic weight-loss results. You’ve got to kick it up a notch — big time — and do at least 30 minutes a day of heart-pumping exercise. Big calorie and fat burners include running, spin class, interval training, hiking, and circuit training.

You Don’t Cut Your Food

Something as simple as slicing up your dinner can be helpful for your overeating woes. Cutting food into tiny pieces may seem slightly childish, but studies show that humans find smaller portions more satisfying and, as a result, are satisfied with less.

You Still Drink Soda

Soda offers literally no nutritional benefits, and continuing to drink the beverage is sabotaging your weight-loss goals — even if you only drink diet. Studies have shown that individuals who drink two diet sodas a day or more had waistlines that were500 percent larger than the nondrinkers. Since quitting soda is no joke, check out this 28-day plan for breaking a cola habit.

You’re Addicted to Condiments and Toppings

A salad is one of the healthiest meals you can have, but when you top it with bacon bits, goat cheese, nuts, dried fruits, and ranch dressing, you can double the calorie amount in a flash. Be aware of how many calories your favorite salad extras add on. For instance, 10 croutons is an easy 100 calories.

You Don’t Drink Water

Besides keeping you hydrated, drinking water on the regular, according to recent studies, can aid with weight loss. Filling up on water before a meal helps encourage portion control, and eating foods that contain a lot of water (like fruits and veggies) will fill you up faster, causing you to eat less. A small study even found that drinking cool water can speed up metabolism and discourage cravings for sugary drinks like soda and juice. Now, that’s a reason to stay hydrated!

You Don’t Leave Time For Fun

Since stress is shown to cause weight gain by triggering the body to eat more — especially foods high in sugar and fat — make sure you give yourself time to relax and unwind. And it’s an added bonus that so many fun activities (like dancing, hiking, and shopping) are already natural calorie-burners!

You Exercise With an Empty Stomach

If you regularly exercise without eating first, you should reconsider: when you work out on an empty stomach, research shows that the calories burned come from muscle, not fat. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, the more muscle mass you have, the better it is for weight loss. Not only will fueling your body help you avoid losing muscle, but also, you’ll have more energy to push yourself through your workout.

You Only Do Cardio

If you live on the treadmill but never lift a pound, then you’re missing out on one of the most important pieces of the fitness puzzle. Not only does weight training prevent injury by strengthening the joints, but it also builds muscle mass and increases metabolic rate. Bonus: thanks to a revved-up metabolism, you’ll keep burning calories long after you’ve slipped off your sneakers.

You Eat Without Thinking

Aligning mealtime with a screen like your computer or the TV can be hurt your weight-loss goals. Designating a special time for meals without distractions will help you connect to your food and, as a result, eat less. Sometimes you don’t even realize how much you’re scarfing when your mind is somewhere else.

You Don’t Eat Enough

Don’t starve yourself to save calories for later. It’ll not only mess up your metabolism, and by dinnertime, that famished feeling will likely cause you to eat more than you would if you weren’t starving. Not only is starving yourself not sustainable for continued weight loss, but also, limiting yourself to too-small portions can lead to excess snacking between mealtimes.

You Leave Out Entire Food Groups

Giving up entire food groups can lead to a nutritional deficiency — not to mention trigger major cravings for whatever food has been cut. Rather than, say, eliminating all carbohydrates, focus on whole grains and remember to monitor portion control. Usually it’s the extra servings that add to your waistline, not the pasta itself.

You Never Indulge

In an otherwise healthy diet, eating a few french fries or a piece of chocolate cake isn’t going to ruin your weight-loss goals. A study found that it isn’t necessary to up workout intensity the day after a piece of cake and that a daily variance of as much as 600 calories won’t reflect on your waistline, as long as you maintain a healthy diet in the long run.

You Eat the Wrong Post-Workout Snacks

A post-workout snack is just that — a snack. And unless it’s mealtime, what you eat after an average workout should be around 150 calories. Since healthy foods like trail mix can be high in calories, measure out a serving instead of mindlessly chomping straight out of the bag. If you’re looking for some ideas, here are 10 post-workout snacks under 150 calories

Source: Fitsugar

Love this. No bull, just straight facts!

(via prettywildhealthy)

Source: fitness-forever

12 Things Happy People Do Differently

thelastpapertiger:

sugarplummilk:

Happy people value and choose:

 1. Love over Fear: People, who are truly happy, are less fearful and more loving. They perceive every moment, every challenge, and every person as an opportunity to learn more about themselves and the world.

2. Acceptance over Resistance:  Happy people know that you can’t really change things by denying and resisting them. So when bad things happen, they don’t fight, get angry and complain. Instead, they ask themselves questions like: What can I learn from this? How can I make this better?

3. Forgiveness over Unforgiveness: Truly happy individuals understand that it’s destructive to hold on to feelings of anger. Instead, they choose to forgive and let go, understanding that (in the end) forgiveness is a gift they give themselves.

4. Trust over Mistrust: They trust themselves … and they have learned to figure out the trustworthy people – and those they should avoid.

5. Meaning over Ambition: Happy people do the things they do because it adds meaning and purpose to their lives. They’re not driven by the need to gain acceptance, praise and approval from others. 

6. Challenges over Obstacles: Happy people see problems as challenges, and as opportunities to explore new ways of seeing and doing things. That is, challenges are something that help them to grow.

7. Selflessness over Selfishness:  Happy people seek out ways ways to give to others - of themselves, their time, of their money, and their gifts. That is, they’re not self-focused and self-absorbed.

8. Kindness over Harshness: Happy people are gentle and kind with themselves and others. They know the importance and power of self-love, self-forgiveness and self-acceptance - and they freely love, forgive and accept other people, too.

9. Gratitude over Ingratitude: No matter where they are, or who they are with, happy people have the capacity to see beauty where others would only see ugliness – and they’re quick to express their gratitude, as well.

10. Being Present over Being Disengaged:  Happy people know how to live in the moment, appreciating what they have and who they are with. They are not constantly being dragged down by the past, or distracted by what could happen (or go wrong) in the future.

11. Positivity over Negativity: Regardless of the circumstances of life, happy people are able to adopt and maintain a positive, and upbeat, attitude and perspective.

12. Taking Responsibility over Blaming: Happy people assume full ownership for their lives. They assume responsibility for their life, choices, decisions, actions, reactions, beliefs and attitudes.

THE LAST ONE. THIS^ THANK YOU.

Trying not to let anxiety keep me from 3,6,and 10. It’s hard work.

Source: onlinecounsellingcollege

brokenmachine: 5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want As we head deeper into the year, many of us have seen our BIG resolutions that we made fall by the wayside. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because our energy levels dipped and we couldn’t maintain the new habits that we had adopted. Perhaps it’s because we weren’t really committed to giving them full effort in the first place and just felt that we ‘had’ to make some resolutions. Or perhaps we simply lost our focus No matter what the reason is, just because we’re well past January 1st doesn’t mean we can’t have the year we want. I’ll go as far to say that making resolutions at the start of the year is not the best idea anyway. We’re just getting to the end of six weeks of holiday madness, our energy levels and emotions are scattered all over the place, and we’re feeling the pressure of a new calendar year that seemingly forces us to make decisions on adopting a new way of life – decisions that we haven’t completely thought out and habits we aren’t quite ready to adopt. If you’re feeling like you’ve let yourself down because you haven’t kept up with your resolutions, don’t fret. I propose that you can start the year you want anytime you want. Here are 5 things you can do starting now to make that happen. 1. Take a month to reflect and recharge. If you find your mid-month or mid-year routines spinning your wheels, take one month and simply reflect on what you’ve done in the past few months – what’s working, what isn’t, potential changes that need to be implemented, etc. Recharge your focus so that you can take on the months ahead. Don’t start this process mid-month while you’re juggling a hundred different things; make sure you prepare yourself to start this exercise at the beginning of the next month and fully commit to it. So, if you’re reading this in mid-March and you’re looking to take one month to reflect and recharge, plan to start promptly on April 1st. Doing so will give you enough time to prepare for the month ahead in terms of lowering your workload and setting up proper expectations for both yourself and those who rely on you. 2. Theme your months. Another clever way to ensure that you can start the year you want anytime you want is to apply a theme to each month of the year. For example, if you have a project or goal that you’ve been dying to work on, take a month of the year to make it your primary focus. This isn’t to say that you have to completely ignore everything that’s unrelated to what you’re trying to achieve during that month. Instead, by aligning that month with your specific project or goal, and making it the focal point, or theme, you are more likely to put forth the time and effort necessary to make significant progress on it. (Read The Front Nine.) 3. Classify days for heavy-lifting and light-lifting. Use your days accordingly. There are some days where you’re going to be able to spend a significant amount of time on your goal or project, and there will be days where you simply won’t be able to at all. I use a system of ‘heavy-lifting’ and ‘light-lifting’ days to help me make measured progress on my goals and projects. By taking the days that I know I’m going to be able to spend the bulk of my time on my goal or project, I allow myself some emotional support for those days where I can’t – and don’t feel bad about taking those days off in the process. For example, if you work a day job from Monday through Friday, perhaps Saturday and Sunday could be a heavy-lifting days for that side project you’ve been working on, and the other five days can be light-lifting ones. Or if like me, you’re a stay-at-home / work-at-home parent, you will have some days where you can work on that big goal, while others you are focusing on fulfilling your duty as a parent. The key is to evaluate and plan your schedule enough to know which days are for heavy lifting and which days aren’t. It’s going to be different for everyone, but by classifying both types of days it helps you prioritize and emotionally separate the various kinds of work you “should be doing.” This prevents you from neglecting what you need to do for the sake of what you want to do, or from trying to do too much at once. 4. Capture and curate. Being busy and being productive are two totally different things. For instance, rocking in a rocking chair can keep you busy, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. It’s all about figuring out how you can deliver the greatest positive impact on your projects and goals in a set amount of time. Obviously you can’t do everything and still be productive; trying to do so is futile. This is where capturing and curating come into play. You should spend at least two weeks capturing and tracking your daily tasks on an hourly basis, or as often as you can through each day. It’s a challenging habit to adopt, but once you’ve spent some time doing it, you can then begin the selective process of curating those tasks. This involves reprioritizing, reordering, expanding, and eliminating tasks so that you really spend your time getting the right things done, instead of simply being busy just for the sake of appearing to be productive. Again, by first tracking and capturing everything you do and then fine-tuning and curating your efforts, you give yourself the luxury of being able to accomplish more of the things that matter to you. (Read Getting Things Done.) 5. Manage your time realistically Even after curating your tasks and time effectively, you’ll still have to give yourself the freedom to let some things go. Some of what you tracked is not immediately important and will have to go on the back burner, and some of it will have to drop off your radar altogether. The key to having the year you want anytime you want is to accept the limited amount of time you have to do something really, really great. The value of quality over quantity is essential when it comes to how you mange your time, which in turn is essential to your long-term happiness and success. Better to do one amazing thing than ten mediocre things. Better to do one thing you really want to do, than ten things someone else wants you to do. (Read 1,000 Little Things.) One of the most powerful ways you can change your perspective on the time you have is to get a bird’s eye view of the year ahead. A wall calendar that displays the entire year at a glance can do that for you (I use a large one-page calendar) as you can see what you’ve mapped out in the months to come and celebrate what you’ve achieved in the months gone by. Get real with your year and you are well on your way to making it great, no matter when you decide to start it. Source From: 5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want Biker/Runner/Swimmer/Tanner, photo by Meeza131
Pop-upView Separately

brokenmachine:

5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want

As we head deeper into the year, many of us have seen our BIG resolutions that we made fall by the wayside. Why is that? Perhaps it’s because our energy levels dipped and we couldn’t maintain the new habits that we had adopted. Perhaps it’s because we weren’t really committed to giving them full effort in the first place and just felt that we ‘had’ to make some resolutions. Or perhaps we simply lost our focus

No matter what the reason is, just because we’re well past January 1st doesn’t mean we can’t have the year we want. I’ll go as far to say that making resolutions at the start of the year is not the best idea anyway. We’re just getting to the end of six weeks of holiday madness, our energy levels and emotions are scattered all over the place, and we’re feeling the pressure of a new calendar year that seemingly forces us to make decisions on adopting a new way of life – decisions that we haven’t completely thought out and habits we aren’t quite ready to adopt.

If you’re feeling like you’ve let yourself down because you haven’t kept up with your resolutions, don’t fret. I propose that you can start the year you want anytime you want.

Here are 5 things you can do starting now to make that happen.

1. Take a month to reflect and recharge. If you find your mid-month or mid-year routines spinning your wheels, take one month and simply reflect on what you’ve done in the past few months – what’s working, what isn’t, potential changes that need to be implemented, etc. Recharge your focus so that you can take on the months ahead.

Don’t start this process mid-month while you’re juggling a hundred different things; make sure you prepare yourself to start this exercise at the beginning of the next month and fully commit to it. So, if you’re reading this in mid-March and you’re looking to take one month to reflect and recharge, plan to start promptly on April 1st. Doing so will give you enough time to prepare for the month ahead in terms of lowering your workload and setting up proper expectations for both yourself and those who rely on you.

2. Theme your months. Another clever way to ensure that you can start the year you want anytime you want is to apply a theme to each month of the year. For example, if you have a project or goal that you’ve been dying to work on, take a month of the year to make it your primary focus. This isn’t to say that you have to completely ignore everything that’s unrelated to what you’re trying to achieve during that month. Instead, by aligning that month with your specific project or goal, and making it the focal point, or theme, you are more likely to put forth the time and effort necessary to make significant progress on it. (Read The Front Nine.)

3. Classify days for heavy-lifting and light-lifting. Use your days accordingly. There are some days where you’re going to be able to spend a significant amount of time on your goal or project, and there will be days where you simply won’t be able to at all. I use a system of ‘heavy-lifting’ and ‘light-lifting’ days to help me make measured progress on my goals and projects. By taking the days that I know I’m going to be able to spend the bulk of my time on my goal or project, I allow myself some emotional support for those days where I can’t – and don’t feel bad about taking those days off in the process.

For example, if you work a day job from Monday through Friday, perhaps Saturday and Sunday could be a heavy-lifting days for that side project you’ve been working on, and the other five days can be light-lifting ones. Or if like me, you’re a stay-at-home / work-at-home parent, you will have some days where you can work on that big goal, while others you are focusing on fulfilling your duty as a parent.

The key is to evaluate and plan your schedule enough to know which days are for heavy lifting and which days aren’t. It’s going to be different for everyone, but by classifying both types of days it helps you prioritize and emotionally separate the various kinds of work you “should be doing.” This prevents you from neglecting what you need to do for the sake of what you want to do, or from trying to do too much at once.

4. Capture and curate. Being busy and being productive are two totally different things. For instance, rocking in a rocking chair can keep you busy, but it’s not going to get you anywhere. It’s all about figuring out how you can deliver the greatest positive impact on your projects and goals in a set amount of time.

Obviously you can’t do everything and still be productive; trying to do so is futile. This is where capturing and curating come into play. You should spend at least two weeks capturing and tracking your daily tasks on an hourly basis, or as often as you can through each day. It’s a challenging habit to adopt, but once you’ve spent some time doing it, you can then begin the selective process of curating those tasks. This involves reprioritizing, reordering, expanding, and eliminating tasks so that you really spend your time getting the right things done, instead of simply being busy just for the sake of appearing to be productive.

Again, by first tracking and capturing everything you do and then fine-tuning and curating your efforts, you give yourself the luxury of being able to accomplish more of the things that matter to you. (Read Getting Things Done.)

5. Manage your time realistically Even after curating your tasks and time effectively, you’ll still have to give yourself the freedom to let some things go. Some of what you tracked is not immediately important and will have to go on the back burner, and some of it will have to drop off your radar altogether.

The key to having the year you want anytime you want is to accept the limited amount of time you have to do something really, really great. The value of quality over quantity is essential when it comes to how you mange your time, which in turn is essential to your long-term happiness and success. Better to do one amazing thing than ten mediocre things. Better to do one thing you really want to do, than ten things someone else wants you to do. (Read 1,000 Little Things.)

One of the most powerful ways you can change your perspective on the time you have is to get a bird’s eye view of the year ahead. A wall calendar that displays the entire year at a glance can do that for you (I use a large one-page calendar) as you can see what you’ve mapped out in the months to come and celebrate what you’ve achieved in the months gone by.

Get real with your year and you are well on your way to making it great, no matter when you decide to start it.

Source From: 5 Ways to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want

Biker/Runner/Swimmer/Tanner, photo by Meeza131