Healthy habits are not something you should squeeze into your busy lifestyle – if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. Yet, unfortunately, most of us do put our health aside in favour of completing deadlines, indulging in unhealthy habits, and making the most of today. But if our health is not a priority, then everything else will suffer. It’s about time we started giving our health the attention it deserves, even in the face of busy work schedules. Here are a few ways you can start making time for your health, even if you only have thirty minutes to spare.

30 minute workouts (or less)

You don’t have to spend an hour on the treadmill to get an effective workout; there are even workouts that can be done in under ten minutes if you’re really pushed for time. A ten minute workout on a trampoline is the equivalent of running on a treadmill for thirty minutes. It firms the legs, thighs, abdomen, arms and hips, increases agility, and improves your sense of balance. Working out with a skipping rope can burn 1300 more calories per hour than running, but you really only need ten minutes per day to reap the full benefits. Yoga workouts can last from five minutes to a full hour and still be effective at stretching out the body and calming the mind. High Intensity Interval Training doesn’t last more than 30 minutes, and that effectively combines cardio and weight training in one neat little package. Even playing some music and dancing around your living room for five minutes counts as a workout. With so many effective workouts that can last as little as ten minutes, you’re slowly running out of excuses to neglect your fitness.

Use technology

Instead of using your devices to browse social media or play games until you run out of lives, use it to help you set healthy goals. Pact is an app that lets you put your money where your gym bag is; every time you commit to a fitness goal for a week, you stand the chance of earning money, or paying out when you fail to do so. Also, with cold and flu season about to befall us, you can use technology to stock up on OTC medication. You’ll also see, when you look into places like this Aberdeen Pharmacy, some pharmacies allow you to order medication online, and you can even book your flu vaccinations online. Finally, your smartphone might automatically come with apps that will help you track your daily steps, count your calories, track your water intake, and monitor your sleep pattern. There are so many ways technology can help you stay on top of your health goals, so it’s time you used it.

Quick healthy meals

When you’re rushing out of the house to get to work on time, most people get coffee and a pastry on the way, or they skip breakfast altogether. Skipping breakfast sends signals to your body that there’s a famine going on, so it slows down your metabolism to conserve calories. Understandably, you don’t want to spend hours in front of a stove cooking healthy meals, so it’s up to you to research healthy recipes that take under 30 minutes to prepare. Smoothie bowls are an excellent breakfast option because you get your recommended five a day out of the way pretty early on, and your body gets a wide range of essential nutrients to get you through the day. Not to mention, if you have the right kind of breakfast, you’ll kick start your metabolism and curb your cravings until lunchtime, leading to a healthier eating schedule. If you don’t have the energy to keep up the good work at dinner time (although this shouldn’t be the case), check out these quick and healthy food recipes that don’t take long to make.

Sleep

Believe it or not, a good night sleep is also crucial for your health. Not only does it boost your memory, or improve your mood, getting enough sleep can help you lose weight. According to a study at the University of Chicago, being fully rested resulted in dieters losing 56% more fat than those who were sleep deprived. The hormones in the blood spike when you are tired, which stimulates the appetite, even when the body is not necessarily hungry. Sleeping enough will not be a miracle cure for your spare tyre, but will help you slim down, as long as you take other steps to lose weight.