A Day of Rest

"Lazy Sunday! Wake up in the late afternoon."

For most of us, we've all had days where we just needed to sleep in. From working late, to pulling all night study sessions, to being woken up by crying babies, to staying up for the Daily Show, we have all had days where our bodies were telling us we need more rest than we have been getting. So we end up sleeping in a little, or a lot, and maybe catching a nap at some point too.

Just like our bodies need a break from time to time from the routine that is our daily life, we need a break from working out from time to time as well. Now, allow me to tread lightly on this topic. When I'm recommending a break from working out, I'm not talking about a 4 or 5 day bender. I'm just encouraging a break from strenuous activity on occasion. Our bodies weren't made to be pushed to the limit on a daily basis, either in the gym or the office, and if we don't give our bodies a chance to rest they will begin to break down. When that starts to happen, your time at the gym is no longer productive--but destructive.

So whether you rejoice in the Judeo-Christian motto of Sunday being a day of rest, or whether you just need an excuse to listen to your body and take a day off, remember that a rest day can actually be as productive as a workout day, especially if it's been awhile since you last took one.

Schedules Change

It almost never fails. Just when you think you're getting into a good routine, finding time to exercise and eat healthy foods, somebody goes and throws a wrench into everything.

This is exactly what happened to me last week. In my case, my hours at my day job shifted a few hours back. So instead of getting home in time to walk the dog, run, and still have dinner almost ready when my wife got home, now my wife is routinely beating me home.

This type of scenario plays out for most of us from time to time. For many of you, your routine may have just taken a sharp turn now that your kids are starting back to school. Maybe you're starting a new job. Maybe something changed in your spouse or partner's life that has some ramifications as to how your day flows.

At the end of the day, though, you only have two choices. Alter your schedule so your priorities still fit into your new "routine", or let the new schedule win.

Hopefully you won't even consider the latter option.

In some cases, the new routine may even be a blessing. Switching things up from time to time can provide a new spark, or a breath of fresh air. Changing your routine allows you to see the things that really are important to you, like making time to exercise and prepare healthy foods. And without a little adversity from time to time, and my new schedule is full of adversity, we would stop growing as individuals.

So, even though a schedule interruption may be uncomfortable, from time to time it may just be the best thing for you.

As the month of August draws to a close, I challenge you to find a way to disrupt your routine. Whether you resolve to pack lunch everyday, get up and exercise before work, or decide to swear off pop for good, find something to do starting September 1st that may be a little uncomfortable.

You may just be surprised how much pushing yourself out of one rut will help you get out of many others.