Making Space for Health

When we find a good podcast, we usually end up bingeing a bit, which is exactly what happened on our National Park road trip.

Before we left, we downloaded about 20 episodes of Being Boss, and listened to their interviews and insights all over the southwest. Our Prius was a rolling business meeting! (Thanks Kathleen and Emily for the entertainment and gifts of knowledge!)

One of the takeaways that we immediately applied was how to accomplish important goals. Their idea is simple:

Make space for things we want.

What does that mean? In the Being Boss example, they're talking about business and clients. If we want clients, we need to make space in our lives (calendar, plans, etc.) to fit them in, even if they don’t exist yet.

The same is true throughout our lives. If we want to build relationships with friends, we have to make space to see them, to talk with them, invite them to a party, visit them, etc.

Of course, it relates to food and health, too. If we want to be in charge of our health, we have to make space for it, because

The space will never just appear.

Being healthy is an action. Or really, a collection of actions.

So, no matter how busy we are, we have to make space for the actions that keep us healthy. We have to carve out time in our days. We have to prioritize.

Luckily, almost everybody has ‘good health’ near the top of their priorities... at least in our heads.

But how do we get out of our heads, and into real life? How do we follow through with the actions that improve our health?

We have to make space for health in our lives.

For example, think about the actions it takes to cook a meal - a) find the recipe, b) make a grocery list, c) get groceries, d) prep the ingredients, e) cook, f) eat, g) clean up.

The more clear we are on how long the process takes, the more likely we are to succeed.

Carving out time for the process, instead of just the end result, helps us prioritize health in a realistic way, and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

What to make space for

Here are few healthy actions to include in your weekly plan:

• Exercise
• Sleeping
• Seeing friends and family
• Getting outside
• Meditating
• Grocery shopping
• Eating (not in front of the TV or in the car)
• Playing
• Cooking

Again, think of the whole process to make sure you have the time. For instance, sleeping 8 hours should take into account the whole routine to get ready for bed - charging the phone, brushing teeth, reading a bit, etc.

How to make space

So, what does this actually look like? Putting it on our calendar is great because then we see a space for it.

We usually plan our days at a morning meeting. We meet up with our coffee or tea to think through the day, identify important tasks, and visualize what’s realistic.

We work backwards through things: If we need groceries, when can we actually get to the store? If we want to get outside, when do we have to finish work? If we need more sleep, when do we have to start getting ready for bed?

Working backwards through the day helps include healthy actions in a way that avoids feeling overwhelmed. As Tara Gentile, another boss podcaster, says, "lead yourself backwards."

So, what’s one thing for health you can make space for this week?

Sole with Carrot and Mushrooms

Serves 2

Before we had an Inspiralizer, we made wide veggie pasta just using the good old peeler. Here’s a short video in action.

Making the thin flat shape also makes the cooking much faster. Add in a thin filet of fish like sole, and these ingredients make a pretty quick dinner.

Ingredients

• 2/3 lb sole, or flaky white fish
• 3-4 carrots, peeled into flat noodles
• 6-8 mushrooms, sliced
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp dried dill
• Avocado, sliced
• A few slices of lemon
• Sea salt, to taste

Process

• Cook veggies - Preheat a skillet to medium. Add in olive oil. Add in carrots and mushrooms stirring to combine. Add in dried dill and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Cook fish - In a separate pan, preheat to medium. Add in about 1 tsp of oil. Cook fish, about three minutes per side, or until internal temp reaches 135ºF.
• Serve - Plate fish, carrots, and mushrooms, and top with slices of lemon and avocado.