In today’s hectic world, many of us feel pulled in a million directions. Between work, family, and social commitments, it can be challenging to find time for ourselves, let alone fit in with regular exercise or healthy eating. Recently, I had a conversation with one of my clients who shared how she felt completely exhausted and overwhelmed, finding it difficult to prioritize her health. Her story is one that many of us can relate to.

For this client, time management has become a real challenge. She loves her job and is passionate about helping others, but the demands of her schedule have made it difficult to carve out space for her own well-being. This led me to think about how crucial it is for all of us to manage our time effectively, especially when trying to prioritize health and fitness in the midst of a busy life.

Tip: When facing challenges in any area of life, it’s essential to step back and perform an audit. Struggling with time management? Evaluate how your time is being spent. Not seeing progress in weight loss? Audit your caloric intake and food choices. Stagnant gym performance or work productivity? Conduct an audit to identify areas for improvement. Even with finances, an audit can help reveal where adjustments are needed to get back on track. Regularly assessing your habits is key to making informed changes. And maybe, just maybe, using the word ‘audit’ rather than ‘tracking’ is just the mindset shift you need.

Why Time Management is Key to Your Health

The relationship between time management and wellness is crucial. We often feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in a workout or prepare healthy meals. However, the truth is, effective time management is the key to making space for self-care, which in turn boosts both mental and physical health. As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I’ve seen firsthand how mastering time management can dramatically improve a person’s well-being.

Time management is not just about doing more; it’s about making time for the things that matter most. This client, for instance, was struggling to find time for workouts and personal care because her day was packed with long work hours, side jobs, and daily commuting. Together, we began exploring strategies that could help her regain control over her time and energy, without feeling guilty for prioritizing her health.

Prioritizing your own well-being isn’t selfish—it’s essential.

This concept of self-care ties directly into effective time management. If you're constantly giving to others without taking the time to recharge, you’ll find yourself running on empty. Prioritizing your well-being through rest, exercise, and self-reflection allows you to manage your time more effectively and achieve greater balance. As the saying goes, ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup.’ This powerful metaphor highlights the importance of self-care. If you’ve depleted all your physical and mental energy, it’s impossible to effectively help others or perform at your best. Prioritizing your own well-being isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Taking time to recharge through rest, exercise, and mindful practices not only boosts your own resilience but also allows you to show up stronger for your work, family, and personal goals.

1. Identifying the Root Cause of Exhaustion

One of the first steps in managing time effectively is understanding what is truly draining your energy. In this client’s case, she was working incredibly long hours, driving between cities, and even managing a side job to help out a former employer. All of these commitments added up, leaving her with little time to sleep, relax, or focus on her personal health.

Does this sound familiar? Many people push themselves through their day-to-day activities without pausing to reflect on how it’s impacting their energy levels. This is where a time audit comes in handy. By identifying energy givers (activities that recharge you) and energy takers (tasks that drain you), you can better understand where your energy is going and how to adjust your schedule to include more of what revitalizes you and less of what depletes you.

How a Time Audit Can Help

A time audit involves tracking your activities over a typical week. This includes work hours, commutes, meals, workouts (if any), and time spent on other obligations like social activities or side jobs. Yes, that includes scrolling on social media as well. To get a better picture of your screen time, go into your phone’s settings and check the Screen Time feature. This will show you how much time you spend on different apps. Features like App Limits or Downtime can help reduce unnecessary scrolling, freeing up more time for activities that recharge you. However, make sure you abide by them and not just hit ignore. Yes, I am talking to you!

In the case of my client, the time audit revealed that her side job, which required 3-4 hours of her time each week, wasn’t adding significant financial value but was contributing to her overall exhaustion. By identifying this, we discussed how eliminating or temporarily pausing that commitment could free up time and energy for more restorative activities like workouts or rest.

To help you take control of your time, I’ve created a Time Audit PDF that you can download and use to track where your time goes each day. This tool will help you identify areas where you can make changes and carve out space for workouts, rest, and self-care. Click here to download the PDF and start taking the first steps toward better time management and wellness.

2. Balancing Work and Wellness: The Importance of Rest

Another critical element of effective time management is learning to prioritize rest. One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that rest is unproductive. In reality, rest is where the body and mind recover, grow, and prepare for the challenges ahead. Whether you’re focusing on physical fitness, mental clarity, or emotional balance, allowing time for rest is essential.

For my client, who works up to 14-hour days, this was a critical realization. She often found herself “recovering” by sleeping long hours on the weekend but still feeling exhausted. I want you to read this sentence and then re-read it again: This is a sign of deeper burnout—working to the point of exhaustion, even when you love what you do, can deplete your energy reserves and prevent you from functioning at your best.

To avoid this, it's important to set aside dedicated rest time. Scheduling regular rest days where you don’t push yourself to 'do more' can help restore your energy. Know that rest isn’t a sign of laziness but a necessary component of staying productive and healthy in the long term. Finding the right balance between rest and activity will vary for each person, so it’s important to identify what works best for you. Taking the time to discover your ideal balance will ensure you’re maintaining your health without overextending yourself.

3. Creating Healthy Habits Even with a Busy Schedule

Even with a busy schedule, my client had done an admirable job of maintaining small but powerful healthy habits: drinking plenty of water, packing nutritious lunches, and stretching when she could to relieve back stiffness from long drives. However, there’s always room for improvement, and we began brainstorming how she could build on these healthy habits without feeling overwhelmed.

If you’re in a similar situation, where time feels limited, focus on quick, easy wins to build momentum. Here are a few ideas:

• Short workouts: Fit in a 10-15 minute home workout in the morning or during a lunch break. Even a short burst of exercise can boost energy and improve your mood. Check out the video series I made for a client.

• Meal prep: Set aside a couple of hours on the weekend to prep healthy meals for the week ahead. This reduces stress during the workweek and ensures you’re fueling your body properly.

• Walks: Take short walks a few times a week. Even if just for a few minutes, walking not only gets you moving but also provides a mental break from your daily tasks. Studies have shown that taking short breaks, especially walks, can boost productivity by improving focus and reducing mental fatigue. Incorporating these breaks into your routine can help you feel more refreshed and ready to tackle your day.

These habits are simple yet effective, and they don’t require a lot of time. By focusing on small, consistent actions, you can build a foundation of health even when life feels overwhelming.

4. Make Time for What Matters: Time Management Techniques

One of the most important takeaways my client and I discussed was the need to make time for what truly matters. She realized that some of her side commitments, like working additional hours at a side job, were cutting into her ability to focus on her personal life, health, and family goals.

This is where time-blocking comes in. Time-blocking is a simple but effective strategy that involves scheduling specific blocks of time for your most important tasks and priorities. Here’s how to implement it:

• Prioritize: Start by listing your top priorities for the week, whether that’s work tasks, family time, or self-care. What are your priorities and where do those priorities fall based on what you are doing now? Family and exercise may be important to you; however, you find yourself working all of the time.

• Block time: Allocate time in your schedule specifically for those priorities. For example, if self-care is a priority, block out 10, 20, or even 30 minutes each day for a workout or relaxation. Start with a time you feel confident with and adjust as you need to over time.

• Stick to it: Treat your self-care or workout time like any other non-negotiable appointment. Honor the time you’ve set aside for yourself. If you have to, you might hire a personal trainer to meet or use this as a social time where you work out with a friend or family member.

In my client’s case, we talked about how cutting back on her side job, at least temporarily, could help her create time for what really matters to her: working out, resting, and focusing on starting a family. After all, working 12-14 hours a day isn’t sustainable in the long term - even if it is what you love to do.

Your Health is Worth the Investment

Time management is about more than just squeezing more activities into your day—it’s about making time for the things that matter most. In my client’s case, this means reassessing her commitments and focusing on small, effective actions that could improve her health and well-being.

For you, it could mean finding space for workouts, meal prep, or simply taking time to rest. Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury—it’s essential. By learning to manage your time effectively, you can reclaim your energy, prioritize your well-being, and be your best self in all areas of life.

How Wellness with Joshua Can Help

If you're feeling overwhelmed with time management and struggling to prioritize your health, you’re not alone. As a personal trainer and nutrition coach serving the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, I work with clients who face similar challenges. Together, we develop holistic and customized plans that help you regain control of your time, energy, and well-being.

Whether you’re interested in in-home coaching or online programs, Wellness with Joshua offers personalized coaching designed to fit your unique schedule and goals. My approach focuses on creating sustainable habits, so you can see long-term results without burnout.

Ready to take control of your time and prioritize your health? Let’s work together to create a customized plan that fits your lifestyle and helps you achieve your wellness goals. Whether you're looking for in-home or online coaching, I’m here to guide you toward sustainable habits that lead to lasting results. Contact me today for a complimentary consultation and start your journey toward a more balanced, energized, and healthier you!