Does your to-do list stress you out?
I used to be the master of making the never-ending to-do list. (Type-A problems, right?!) I put everything on one list that I would look at each day and try to cross off as many things as possible, before transferring the leftovers to a new list for the next week.
While this strategy was effective in making sure that I eventually got most of these things done, the down-side is that I felt constantly stressed out by the list that was never finished. I never felt like I was able to end my work for the day because there was always more on the list.
Well, if you don't know, now you do: there is a definite connection between chronic stress and illness. Stress affects our hormones, and our hormones influence things like autoimmunity, digestion, and much more.
At the beginning of my health journey, I had a practitioner tell me that I needed to reduce my stress. She recommended walking, taking baths, sitting outside, etc. and I thought "All of that is well and good, but I'm busy! How am I going to work those things in on a daily basis?!" While I did start to implement those things as I was able, I also took a look at the other things that were causing my stress, and my to-do list was one of them.
So, I changed my strategy.
Now, I'm not perfect at this (as evidenced by the fact that just today I added a couple of items above my "top three"), but here's what I do now. Instead of writing everything out as one long list, I write out my list day by day (duh, why didn't I think of this before??). More importantly, I choose three top priority items. We see a lot of big names and successful people who do this. They prioritize three things that if they get nothing else done that day, they would have accomplished what they needed to.
That doesn't necessarily mean that I only have three things on my list, I always have more than that. But my focus is on those top three. If I have the time and energy, then I tackle some others.
The difference that this has made for me is in giving me the freedom to "close the list" and be done for the day. I don't feel like I need to accomplish the entire thing and take on the world all in one day. It gives my mind (and therefore my body) permission to relax, which is essential for good health!
Do you have a strategy when it comes to how you organize your day? I'd love to hear about it over on this meal prep post on Instagram!
This Week's Meal Plan:
Breakfast: Batch Prep Frittata + Roasted Sweet Potatoes // This is one of the recipes that I shared during my Whole30 Recipes takeover! You can find it here. I used some Whole30 compliant chicken sausage for extra protein and added chopped spinach!
Lunch: No-Cook Meal // I'm on product overload at my house after all of the samples I got from Expo, so I'm using them up during my weekday lunches! I have a variety of Whole30 compliant meat sticks and bars from some of my favorite brands, a bottle of Zupa for veggies ("wholedailylife" for 15% off), and some Amazi baked plantain chips! These chips are not Whole30 compliant because they are a "chip," but they are delicious and have completely clean ingredients. They have AIP options as well. If you're on the Whole30, simply sub these for a piece of fruit each day!
Dinner: Yai's Thai Curry with Chicken // This is another recipe that I shared during my Whole30 Recipes takeover! You can find the recipe here. My favorite trick is using the white sweet potato to chicken and extend the curry sauce. It makes it extra creamy!
I also shared in my stories last week that if I'm hungry, I do have another mini meal when I get home from work, usually some combination of a protein and veggies or fruit, or sometimes a bar. When we're eating real food, our bodies are smart about letting us know when we need more and when we've had enough! If you're legitimately hungry, please nourish your body and give it more food! Every week (and every day) is different.
Have a great week!
-Tracey