Daily structure vs. vacation fun

The holidays call for relaxation, rejuvenation, and total regeneration. This is why
vacations are at an all-time high this time of the year. I was looking forward to my own
Christmas travel this year. However, I was a bit nervous. I have noticed through the
years that the only way I can really thrive is if I have structured days. I knew that this
year’s Christmas was going to be anything but structured.

Structure can give us peace. Acting out the same tasks every day reassures that we
have order and direction in our lives. Structure means working towards something
positive. Personally, when I don’t have structure in my day-to-day activities, I feel chaotic, stressed, and overwhelmed.

On the other hand, everyone deserves a couple of days without structure, right? It can
be relaxing to have a day of nothing on the schedule or a couple of hours when you don’t
know what you are going to do next.

How do we balance the beauty and efficiency of structure, and the joy and spontaneity of
no structure?

How about scheduling times of no structure? This sounds counterproductive, I know. Let
me give you an example. During my vacation, I scheduled time for exercise every
morning. After I was finished with the AM workout, I was free to relax and do whatever I
pleased. I found this to be a great balance. Exercising at the beginning of the day gave
me a boost of energy, a rev-up of my metabolism, and a peace of mind knowing I had at
least one structured thing in my day. After the workout, I was able to enjoy my vacation
without stressing that I might get off my structured track.

When it came to my diet, I was able to stay on track with my habits while also enjoying
yummy and adventurous food on my vacation. I did this by practicing intermittent fasting (IF). In the mornings I would fast until about noon, eat whatever I wanted (vacation perks), and then stop eating/drinking around 8 PM. This was a great option for me since I still wanted to enjoy my vacation without being on a diet. These two decisions I made prior to my vacation were how I kept balance during my time of rest and relaxation.

Other ways you can relax and still have structure:

• Get enough sleep (at least 8 hours a night)
• Limit your drinking (1-2 drinks a day)
• Have 20-30 minutes of movement every day
• Meditate for 5 minutes every morning
• Keep a gratitude or goal journal and write 1-3 things in it each day
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With these tips, you will be able to enjoy a much-deserved vacation and feel productive
and positive! Is there something I missed that you practice that helps maintain your
balance? Let me know in the comments below!
If you are interested in creating a structured plan in your day to day, contact me and I’d
be happy to add productivity to your day by creating a structured fitness plan for you.