As the children in our communities settle into the rhythm and routines of a new school year, they begin with fresh notebooks, new pens and clean desks.
The rest of us are adjusting to their new schedules for driving and mealtimes, but even if we aren’t students ourselves, the advent of autumn beckons us to renew and reaffirm our daily routines.
We naturally fall into routines – repeated patterns of behaviour. In some ways it seems efficient. We grab the same cup of coffee on the way to work; check our emails and social media at any empty moment, and arrive home at the same time at the end of the day. We might follow routines because it is easier or expedient. We may continue routines simply out of habit.
Many families call this tradition with generations of children carrying on without question.
As parents of returning students – or as adults responsible only for ourselves – we can embrace the start of this season to review and challenge our routines. Here are a few questions to get started.
How are you eating?
Unhealthy eating is fed by habit; healthy eating takes planning.
When a doctor asks patients to count the number of times they bought prepared food in the past week, the answer can surprise everyone. We might take the drive-thru and eat on the run because we’re in a rush or because we’re simply hungry. Drive-thru should be less appealing now that eating in the car is considered distracted driving.
How many of your meals are unplanned?
When we leave diet to chance, we usually spend more money and consume more calories, salt, unhealthy fat and processed food. The bathroom scale and your bank balance can give you clues. But before you over-deposit into both accounts, you could simply attend to how you physically feel when eating well and when you don’t.
Watch out for those late dinners and high calorie snacks. I tell my patients what I tell my kids: planning for the next day reduces the morning rush and bad choices.
Where do you waste your time?
Students and busy grownups often feel that there’s not enough time in each day. We can’t add more hours, but we can save timeby not wasting it.
Over the course of a typical day and week, keep track of how you use time. How many minutes do you spend on a tablet, smart phone or computer?
Television used to be the number 1 timewaster with shopping (for the sake of shopping) a close second, but most people are surprised how time slips away answering emails, texting and checking social media. Experts in work efficiency recommend turning off smartphone notifications and limiting the checking of emails and social media to a few set times during each day. Your attention will be better focused and you’ll get more done in less time.
If we put a hard daily cap on our time in front of any screen and in shopping malls, we’re sure to find time for what is more important and healthy for us.
You may even find time to exercise and talk to the person in front of you.
Where in your daily life can you fit in more physical activity?
We can walk and take the stairs when we can. Many of my patients park their vehicles or get off transit a distance from work so that they can have a good walk at the beginning and the end of each day. Others use the community gyms and pools close to home or work.
Depending on your neighbourhood, an after-dinner stroll or cycle is a nice way to spend an evening. Household chores count, too.
Take a cue from our kids, review your routines, reaffirm healthy habits and make a fresh start this season.
As I dropped my children off when they were still in elementary school, I would give them three tasks on which they would report back at suppertime: learn something new; help someone else; and have fun.
Now that my sons have graduated and are working and my daughter begins her second year in university, I still expect them to include these tasks in their daily routines.
Dr. Davidicus Wong is a family physician. Visit davidicuswong.wordpress.com.
