Why I Stopped Saying I Am Too Busy For My Own Health – bitesofwellnessa

You know that heavy, sludge-like feeling in your limbs at 10 AM? The one where you’re sitting at your desk, staring at a spreadsheet that might as well be written in alien hieroglyphs, and you just want to close your eyes for five minutes. Or ten.

I used to brush it off. I’d tell my husband, “I’m just too busy to cook right now, I’ll grab a granola bar.” I’d tell my friend at happy hour, “I’d love to go for a walk, but I’m swamped. Maybe next week.”

I spent years wearing “busy” like a badge of honor. It was my shield. If I was busy, I didn’t have time to think about the fact that my lower back had been hurting for three months. If I was busy, I didn’t have time to notice that my energy crashed every single day at 2 PM. If I was busy, I didn’t have time to realize that I was eating dinner standing up over the sink.

Then, about six months ago, I hit a wall. A literal, physical wall. I was jogging around Lady Bird Lake in Austin, and by mile one, my lungs were burning, my knees were clicking, and I felt like I was moving through wet cement. I stopped, hands on my knees, gasping for air, and thought: *I am thirty years old. Why do I feel sixty?*

That was the moment I stopped saying “I am too busy for my own health.” And honestly? It wasn’t because I suddenly had more hours in the day. It was because I realized I’d been lying to myself about what “busy” actually meant.

### The “I’m Too Busy” Lie

Here’s the thing about being busy. It’s subjective. You can be busy, or you can be unproductive, or you can be busy doing things that don’t matter. I was all three.

My old routine looked like this:
1. Wake up at 6:30 AM.
2. Scroll through Instagram for 20 minutes while drinking coffee.
3. Rush through work emails until noon.
4. Grab a sandwich from the vending machine (no veggies, just bread and cheese).
5. Work through lunch.
6. Stare at the screen until 6:00 PM.
7. Collapse on the couch, order takeout, watch Netflix until 11:00 PM.

Sound familiar? If you nodded your head, you’re not alone. [Read more about how to break the sedentary cycle here](/category/energy-hacks/).

I told myself I didn’t have time to meal prep. I told myself I didn’t have time to go to the gym for an hour. I told myself I didn’t have time to sleep because “sleep is for the weak” (another lie my mom sent me on Facebook that I used to believe).

But wait. If I spent 30 minutes a day on social media, that’s 3.5 hours a week. If I spent 30 minutes commuting when I drove everywhere, that’s another chunk. I had time. I just didn’t have *energy* to prioritize myself.

### The Turning Point: A Study and a Slump

Turns out, my intuition was backed by data. A study published in the *Journal of Occupational Health Psychology* found that people who feel “time-poor” are significantly more likely to make poor dietary choices and skip exercise. Basically, when your brain is flooded with stress and tasks, it craves quick energy—sugar, caffeine, carbs—and ignores the long-term stuff.

I noticed it in my body. By week two of this new realization, I started tracking my habits. I didn’t use an app. I just used a notebook. And what surprised me was how little time actual self-care took.

I didn’t need to join a CrossFit gym. I didn’t need to eat organic quinoa bowls for every meal. I just needed to stop saying “no” to myself.

### Small Changes, Big Shifts

So, how did I do it? I didn’t overhaul my life overnight. I made tiny, almost invisible adjustments. And they compounded.

**1. The 10-Minute Morning Movement**

I used to think I needed an hour to work out. So I skipped it. Now, I do 10 minutes of stretching or yoga right after I brush my teeth. No shoes. No outfit change. Just me and the floor.

It doesn’t burn 500 calories. But it wakes up my nervous system. It tells my body, “Hey, we’re awake. Let’s get moving.” I feel less stiff by 9 AM. My posture improves. And honestly? It makes me feel like I’m in control before I even open my email inbox.

**2. Lunch Away from the Screen**

This was the hardest one for me. I’m a worrier. If I’m not looking at my phone, I think something bad will happen. So, I started forcing myself to eat lunch at a table, away from my laptop.

At first, it felt weird. Empty. Like I was wasting time. But within a week, I noticed something. My afternoon energy crash wasn’t as severe. I wasn’t foggy by 3 PM. Why? Because I was actually chewing my food. I was present. My digestion improved. My mind got a break.

It’s simple biology, really. When you stress-eat at your desk, your cortisol stays high, and your blood sugar spikes and crashes. When you take a break, you give your parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode—a chance to kick in.

**3. The “Non-Negotiable” Block**

I started blocking out 30 minutes in my calendar every day for myself. Not for work. Not for chores. For me.

Sometimes it’s a walk around the block. Sometimes it’s reading a chapter of a book. Sometimes it’s just sitting in the park watching people walk their dogs.

I treated it like a doctor’s appointment. If I had a meeting with Dr. Smith, I wouldn’t cancel it because I was “too busy.” So I stopped canceling meetings with myself.

### What Happened to My Body?

I’m not gonna lie. The changes weren’t instant. I didn’t wake up one morning looking like a fitness model. But the subtle shifts? They added up.

**Better Sleep:** I used to lie in bed, mentally rehearsing my to-do list for tomorrow. Now, I have that 30-minute wind-down block. It’s harder to ruminate when you’ve already done something nice for yourself. I’m falling asleep faster. Waking up less.

**Stable Energy:** No more 2 PM sugar cravings. I eat a balanced lunch (protein, veggies, healthy fats) and I’m good until dinner. I’m drinking less coffee, too. Maybe two cups a day instead of four. My hands don’t shake anymore.

**Mental Clarity:** This is the big one. I feel less frantic. When you prioritize your health, you’re not running on adrenaline all day. You’re running on fuel.

And get this: I’m actually more productive at work. Before, I’d work 8 hours but only be effective for 4 of them. Now, I work focused bursts. I take breaks. I come back refreshed. It’s paradoxical, but true. By slowing down, I speed up.

### The “Busy” Trap vs. The “Intentional” Life

Here’s the difference: Being busy is often a reaction to the world. Being intentional is a choice you make.

When you say “I’m too busy,” you’re giving away your power. You’re letting your calendar dictate your health. When you say “I make time,” you’re taking the wheel.

It doesn’t mean you’ll never be busy. There will be weeks when work is insane. Weeks when the kids are sick. Weeks when life throws a curveball. That’s fine. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be consistent.

I learned this the hard way. I had a month last year where I worked 60 hours a week. I didn’t stretch. I ate takeout every night. I slept five hours a night. And when I came back from that month, I didn’t bounce back instantly. It took me two weeks to feel like myself again. That’s when I knew: health isn’t a sprint. It’s a maintenance schedule. You don’t ignore your car for six months and expect it to run fine. Same with your body.

### How to Start (Without Overwhelming Yourself)

If you’re reading this and thinking, “I don’t have time for this,” try this: Pick one thing. Just one.

* Drink one extra glass of water today.
* Take a 5-minute walk after dinner.
* Eat your lunch without your phone.
* Go to bed 15 minutes earlier.

That’s it. Don’t try to do all of them. Don’t try to run a marathon. Just pick one small lever to pull.

You might be wondering, “What if I miss out?” What if I’m not as ‘hardworking’ as my colleagues? Let me tell you a secret: Most of your colleagues are tired too. They’re just hiding it better. When you bring your best, focused, energetic self to work, people notice. You’re not lazy. You’re efficient.

### The Bottom Line

I stopped saying “I am too busy for my own health” because I realized that health is the foundation everything else is built on. If the foundation cracks, the whole house shakes.

It’s not about expensive supplements or fancy gym memberships. It’s about showing up for yourself, even in small ways. It’s about respecting your body enough to give it what it needs.

And honestly? It’s made me happier. I laugh more. I have more patience with my husband. I enjoy my coffee more because I’m actually tasting it, not chugging it while typing.

So, next time you feel that 10 AM slump, don’t just reach for another coffee. Ask yourself: “Am I too busy? Or am I just not prioritizing?”

The answer might surprise you.

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**TL;DR:** You have time. You just give it away to distractions. Start small. Move your body. Eat without screens. Sleep. Your future self will thank you.

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**What’s one small thing you can do for yourself today?** Is it a walk? A glass of water? Five minutes of silence? Let me know in the comments below. I read every single one. (And yes, I’m replying while drinking my coffee.) ☕️