When Life Gets Busy, Health Shouldn't Be the First Thing to Go

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s all too easy to neglect our health when life gets busy. We convince ourselves that we don’t have time to exercise, cook healthy meals, or get enough sleep, and we prioritize work, family, and social commitments over our own physical and mental well-being. But the truth is, whenever life gets busy, health is often the first thing that disappears from our calendars.

As productivity expert Ali Abdaal points out, prioritizing our health over work can have a much larger impact on our overall well-being. In one of his posts, he shared this insight, “The idea is that going to the gym for an hour boosts my health for that day an infinite amount because it’s gone from 0 hours to 1 hour. So I have an infinite boost in the health component of my life. But doing an extra hour of work boosts my work percentage from 8 hours to 9 hours, which is a ~10% gain.” This comparison might nudge you into doing the right thing.

One of the biggest reasons why we let our health slide when life gets busy is that we view it as a luxury, rather than a necessity. We think of self-care activities like exercise, healthy eating, and meditation as things we do when we have spare time or when we’re on vacation. But the truth is, these activities are essential to our health and well-being, and they should be prioritized just like any other important task on our to-do list.

Another reason why we let our health take a backseat when life gets busy is that we feel guilty for taking time away from work or other commitments. We worry that if we take an hour out of our day to go for a run or prepare a healthy meal, we’ll fall behind on our work or let someone down. But the reality is that taking care of ourselves actually makes us more productive and effective in the long run. When we’re healthy and well-rested, we’re better able to focus, problem-solve, and handle stress.

So, how can we prioritize our health when life gets busy? Here are a few tips:

1. Make a plan: Schedule your self-care activities just like you would any other important task. Write down your workout schedule or plan out your meals for the week ahead of time.
2. Set boundaries: Learn to say no to commitments that don’t align with your values or priorities. It’s okay to turn down social invitations or work requests if they interfere with your health goals.
3. Get support: Enlist the help of friends, family, or a coach to hold you accountable for your health goals. Having someone to check in with can help you stay on track and motivated.
4. Simplify: Look for ways to simplify your life so that you have more time and energy for self-care. This might mean outsourcing tasks like cleaning or meal prep, or cutting back on social media and screen time.

Neglecting our health when life gets busy is a common but dangerous habit. It’s important to recognize that self-care activities like exercise, healthy eating, and rest are essential to our overall well-being, and they should be prioritized just like any other important task. By making a plan, setting boundaries, getting support, simplifying, and being flexible, we can make sure that our health remains a top priority, even in the midst of a busy schedule.