For those of you who have been following what I’ve been up to these past few months, you’ll know it’s been a bit of a whirlwind. From travelling across the US for work, followed by travelling across Canada to celebrate my book launch – it’s been a wild ride! Though this ride has been A TON of fun, truthfully, it has left me pretty exhausted. It’s been about two weeks since my last book launch event, and I’m just now beginning to recover. On top of all that, I’ve found myself in a bit of debt. All of these circumstances, combined with inflation in Canada and the ever-rising costs of living, have left me feeling a bit off. So today, I want to focus on chatting about staying healthy amid busy schedules and inflation, and some of the things I’ll be focusing on these next few months.

Now that I will be firmly planted in Toronto for the rest of the summer, I’ve decided it’s time for me to really focus on my well-being and mental health – in a way that won’t compromise my budget or put me in even more debt. Due to the rollercoaster of everything that’s been happening, I’ve definitely felt a bit all over the place – mentally, physically, and financially. I really need to get back to the basics: proper sleep, nutrition, moving my body, mental health check-ins, and budgeting. Everyone has different definitions of what that means for them, but I’m going to share more of what it looks like for me.

Sleep

I am definitely a sleepy gal and need a lot of sleep to feel my best. A solid 7-9 hours is where it’s at for me. I am hoping to shift my sleep schedule a bit so I am going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. I definitely feel better when I do this, as opposed to staying up late and sleeping in.

Nutrition

Due to inflation, it is feeling more challenging than ever to get well-priced groceries and make healthy meals. I’m focusing on having my meals contain protein, veg, and carbs. I am also doing my best to cook as much as possible, and buy less out – this is a BIG challenge for me, especially when it comes to coffee, as I really enjoy buying a fancy coffee when I’m out. For now though, I am trying to limit how often I do this. I am also working to limit my alcohol intake, and increase my water intake. All about that hydration, folks!!

Movement

Moving my body is something that has fallen very far to the wayside, and I am really focused on making a more diligent effort. Walking more and doing yoga is often my starting point, and I hope to work up from there to more “intensive” exercise, if I feel like that is what I need. I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I was trying out a bunch of workout classes in Toronto, and though that was fun at the time, given the rising costs of living I am currently sticking to working out at home. Thankfully, I have a gym in my building and an app on my phone that gives me a ton of workout options!

Mental Health Check-ins

One of my favourite mental health practices is journaling. I’ve previously mentioned how beneficial this practice has been for me. Unfortunately, given my busy schedule lately, I’ve been finding it a challenge to stay consistent. I am working on making it more of a habit to regularly journal each evening before bed. Some folks enjoy journaling in the morning as well, but for me personally, I enjoy that moment of reflection before I wind down for the rest of the night. I have my journal right beside my bed to encourage this practice more!

Budgeting

Ah, my least favourite thing: budgeting. I’m going to be honest and share that I’ve never really been great at budgeting, but it is something I am working on improving. The first step is awareness, so if you’re just starting out like me, I recommend having a detailed list of all of your required expenses, and a running tally of other purchases you are making throughout the month. Tracking your expenses is super helpful and has definitely brought a lot of awareness to me. From there, you can adjust your budget accordingly. For me, I tend to spend a lot of money when I’m out, on things like coffee and food. To fix this, I am working on making more things at home. One easy fix is to prepare coffee and a lunch to bring to work, instead of purchasing them out. Everyone has different priorities, meaning each person’s budget will be different, too!

Baby Steps

I view the aspects I’ve mentioned so far as the building blocks to getting back towards a healthy lifestyle. For me, it is very important that I celebrate all of the baby steps along the way, because even baby steps add up to progress in the end. It always feels like a bit of a long road when you are starting to get back on track for your health, especially when it is covering multiple aspects, such as in my case where I’m focused on mental, physical, and financial health. However, knowing I have done this before gives me hope that I can get back on track, and I am confident that these building blocks will help me get there – even amid a busy schedule and inflation.

Are you struggling with maintaining a healthy lifestyle while balancing a busy schedule and the rising costs of living? I’d love to hear if anyone else is in the same boat. Drop your thoughts in the comments!!