{"id":252,"date":"2025-06-10T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T22:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bitesofwellnessa.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/10\/why-i-stopped-saying-i-am-too-busy-for-my-own-health-bitesofwellnessa\/"},"modified":"2025-06-10T06:00:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T22:00:59","slug":"why-i-stopped-saying-i-am-too-busy-for-my-own-health-bitesofwellnessa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bitesofwellnessa.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/10\/why-i-stopped-saying-i-am-too-busy-for-my-own-health-bitesofwellnessa\/","title":{"rendered":"Why I Stopped Saying I Am Too Busy For My Own Health – bitesofwellnessa"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Woman<\/figure>\n

You know that heavy, sludge-like feeling in your limbs at 10 AM? The one where you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

I used to brush it off. I\u2019d tell my husband, “I\u2019m just too busy to cook right now, I\u2019ll grab a granola bar.” I\u2019d tell my friend at happy hour, “I\u2019d love to go for a walk, but I\u2019m swamped. Maybe next week.”<\/p>\n

I spent years wearing “busy” like a badge of honor. It was my shield. If I was busy, I didn\u2019t have time to think about the fact that my lower back had been hurting for three months. If I was busy, I didn\u2019t have time to notice that my energy crashed every single day at 2 PM. If I was busy, I didn\u2019t have time to realize that I was eating dinner standing up over the sink.<\/p>\n

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?*<\/p>\n

That was the moment I stopped saying “I am too busy for my own health.” And honestly? It wasn\u2019t because I suddenly had more hours in the day. It was because I realized I\u2019d been lying to myself about what “busy” actually meant.<\/p>\n

### The “I’m Too Busy” Lie<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the thing about being busy. It\u2019s subjective. You can be busy, or you can be unproductive, or you can be busy doing things that don\u2019t matter. I was all three.<\/p>\n

My old routine looked like this:
\n1. Wake up at 6:30 AM.
\n2. Scroll through Instagram for 20 minutes while drinking coffee.
\n3. Rush through work emails until noon.
\n4. Grab a sandwich from the vending machine (no veggies, just bread and cheese).
\n5. Work through lunch.
\n6. Stare at the screen until 6:00 PM.
\n7. Collapse on the couch, order takeout, watch Netflix until 11:00 PM.<\/p>\n

Sound familiar? If you nodded your head, you\u2019re not alone. [Read more about how to break the sedentary cycle here](\/category\/energy-hacks\/).<\/p>\n

I told myself I didn\u2019t have time to meal prep. I told myself I didn\u2019t have time to go to the gym for an hour. I told myself I didn\u2019t have time to sleep because “sleep is for the weak” (another lie my mom sent me on Facebook that I used to believe).<\/p>\n

But wait. If I spent 30 minutes a day on social media, that\u2019s 3.5 hours a week. If I spent 30 minutes commuting when I drove everywhere, that\u2019s another chunk. I had time. I just didn\u2019t have *energy* to prioritize myself.<\/p>\n

### The Turning Point: A Study and a Slump<\/p>\n

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\u2014sugar, caffeine, carbs\u2014and ignores the long-term stuff.<\/p>\n

I noticed it in my body. By week two of this new realization, I started tracking my habits. I didn\u2019t use an app. I just used a notebook. And what surprised me was how little time actual self-care took.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t need to join a CrossFit gym. I didn\u2019t need to eat organic quinoa bowls for every meal. I just needed to stop saying “no” to myself.<\/p>\n

### Small Changes, Big Shifts<\/p>\n

So, how did I do it? I didn\u2019t overhaul my life overnight. I made tiny, almost invisible adjustments. And they compounded.<\/p>\n

**1. The 10-Minute Morning Movement**<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t burn 500 calories. But it wakes up my nervous system. It tells my body, “Hey, we\u2019re awake. Let\u2019s get moving.” I feel less stiff by 9 AM. My posture improves. And honestly? It makes me feel like I\u2019m in control before I even open my email inbox.<\/p>\n

**2. Lunch Away from the Screen**<\/p>\n

This was the hardest one for me. I\u2019m a worrier. If I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n

At first, it felt weird. Empty. Like I was wasting time. But within a week, I noticed something. My afternoon energy crash wasn\u2019t as severe. I wasn\u2019t foggy by 3 PM. Why? Because I was actually chewing my food. I was present. My digestion improved. My mind got a break.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s 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\u2014the “rest and digest” mode\u2014a chance to kick in.<\/p>\n

**3. The “Non-Negotiable” Block**<\/p>\n

I started blocking out 30 minutes in my calendar every day for myself. Not for work. Not for chores. For me.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s a walk around the block. Sometimes it\u2019s reading a chapter of a book. Sometimes it\u2019s just sitting in the park watching people walk their dogs.<\/p>\n

I treated it like a doctor\u2019s appointment. If I had a meeting with Dr. Smith, I wouldn\u2019t cancel it because I was “too busy.” So I stopped canceling meetings with myself.<\/p>\n

### What Happened to My Body?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not gonna lie. The changes weren\u2019t instant. I didn\u2019t wake up one morning looking like a fitness model. But the subtle shifts? They added up.<\/p>\n

**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\u2019s harder to ruminate when you\u2019ve already done something nice for yourself. I\u2019m falling asleep faster. Waking up less.<\/p>\n

**Stable Energy:** No more 2 PM sugar cravings. I eat a balanced lunch (protein, veggies, healthy fats) and I\u2019m good until dinner. I\u2019m drinking less coffee, too. Maybe two cups a day instead of four. My hands don\u2019t shake anymore.<\/p>\n

**Mental Clarity:** This is the big one. I feel less frantic. When you prioritize your health, you\u2019re not running on adrenaline all day. You\u2019re running on fuel.<\/p>\n

And get this: I\u2019m actually more productive at work. Before, I\u2019d work 8 hours but only be effective for 4 of them. Now, I work focused bursts. I take breaks. I come back refreshed. It\u2019s paradoxical, but true. By slowing down, I speed up.<\/p>\n

### The “Busy” Trap vs. The “Intentional” Life<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the difference: Being busy is often a reaction to the world. Being intentional is a choice you make.<\/p>\n

When you say “I\u2019m too busy,” you\u2019re giving away your power. You\u2019re letting your calendar dictate your health. When you say “I make time,” you\u2019re taking the wheel.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll never be busy. There will be weeks when work is insane. Weeks when the kids are sick. Weeks when life throws a curveball. That\u2019s fine. You don\u2019t have to be perfect. You just have to be consistent.<\/p>\n

I learned this the hard way. I had a month last year where I worked 60 hours a week. I didn\u2019t stretch. I ate takeout every night. I slept five hours a night. And when I came back from that month, I didn\u2019t bounce back instantly. It took me two weeks to feel like myself again. That\u2019s when I knew: health isn\u2019t a sprint. It\u2019s a maintenance schedule. You don\u2019t ignore your car for six months and expect it to run fine. Same with your body.<\/p>\n

### How to Start (Without Overwhelming Yourself)<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re reading this and thinking, “I don\u2019t have time for this,” try this: Pick one thing. Just one.<\/p>\n

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

That\u2019s it. Don\u2019t try to do all of them. Don\u2019t try to run a marathon. Just pick one small lever to pull.<\/p>\n

You might be wondering, “What if I miss out?” What if I\u2019m not as ‘hardworking’ as my colleagues? Let me tell you a secret: Most of your colleagues are tired too. They\u2019re just hiding it better. When you bring your best, focused, energetic self to work, people notice. You\u2019re not lazy. You\u2019re efficient.<\/p>\n

### The Bottom Line<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not about expensive supplements or fancy gym memberships. It\u2019s about showing up for yourself, even in small ways. It\u2019s about respecting your body enough to give it what it needs.<\/p>\n

And honestly? It\u2019s made me happier. I laugh more. I have more patience with my husband. I enjoy my coffee more because I\u2019m actually tasting it, not chugging it while typing.<\/p>\n

So, next time you feel that 10 AM slump, don\u2019t just reach for another coffee. Ask yourself: “Am I too busy? Or am I just not prioritizing?”<\/p>\n

The answer might surprise you.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

**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.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

**What\u2019s 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\u2019m replying while drinking my coffee.) \u2615\ufe0f<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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