Can You Be Healthy with an Unpredictable Schedule?
After years of coaching experience, I can say with assurance that the number one (or a very close number two) obstacle to healthy living that I hear about from clients is the unpredictability of their schedules. (Lack of time is also a big one, but an unpredictable schedule often results in lack of time, so the two tend to go hand in hand.)
Unpredictability is one of the main reasons that shift workers, as well as parents with small children, usually find it incredibly hard to create and maintain healthy habits. Habits automatically imply regularity, but how can you have healthy habits when your daily life is decidedly irregular?
Well, I'm here to tell you that you can. I've seen my clients do it, even the busiest emergency room doctor and mother of four. The keys to making it happen seem to be these:
Determination: To a one, every client I have had who succeeded at making healthy changes in spite of their crazy schedules were determined to find a way. They experimented with life hacks and tweaks for as long as it took to create a healthy lifestyle that worked for them, and didn't quit until they got where they wanted with their goals.
Flexibility: Instead of hitting the gym at the same time every day or planning out meals weeks in advance, they created lists of physical activities they could do on the fly and kept ingredients on hand that they could make into a wide array of different meals whenever they had the time to do so. They curated healthy options for themselves that they could pick and choose from depending on the circumstances.
A commitment to being proactive as much as possible: Chances are even if you have the most unpredictable schedule out there, you still have some control over what you do in any given week or month. As possible, commit to one hour a month to reflect on the big picture of your life, assess whether it's meeting your standards, and what you can do to make it better. If you know your schedule a week in advance, sit down for 30 minutes each week and plan when you will exercise and when you can shop and cook. If you do this, you will maintain control over your life more effectively and be much more likely to actually engage in the healthy behaviors you want.
Smart outsourcing: When you have a wild schedule, your executive function can burn out just trying to keep track of where you need to be and what you need to be doing next. Find tools that can take some of that guessing game out of your hands and free up some time and mental space for you. Set calendar reminders and timers so you don't forget to do the things you want to do. Use meal-planning and delivery services. Enlist your loved ones to take on some of the mental load at home or hire someone to do it, like a P.A. or nanny.
Self-compassion: Inevitably, some plans are not going to go to plan no matter what you do. When this happens, give yourself a hug and then get back in the saddle. There is no room for perfectionism in an unpredictable scenario. Keep your expectations realistic and don't let occasional mishaps or setbacks stop you from continuing to try to make your life better.
I promise you that even the most chaotic schedule still has room for a healthy lifestyle. I've seen it time and again with my clients, and to a one they would all say that it helped to have a coach with them on the journey. Health coaching helps you find the determination, flexibility, commitment to proactivity, strategies, and self-compassion you need to create a healthy life even in the most difficult situations. Try it and see!