Get Your Family Schedule Back on Track!
Does Your Calendar Reflect Your True Priorities?

For families with school-aged children, it is a huge understatement to say that the summer months cause a major change in the family schedule!

The regular school routine is replaced with a hectic summer camp schedule, full-time daycare, or having the kids home all day looking at you expectantly to entertain them. We’ve experienced all three of these scenarios over the years with our two boys.

Perhaps you don’t have children in your home but are enjoying a more laid-back schedule. Warm, sunny days. Time in or on the water. Slow living. Discipline takes a backseat perhaps. (Insert side-eye at the potato chips.)

With either scenario, we have found that during the summer months, it is far too easy to let our own self-care go by the wayside. Exercise routines get thrown off, healthy eating can get derailed, chiropractic and other health appointments can get delayed. Is there anything we can do to prevent or moderate this or should we just expect that this is the way it is going to be?

To be honest, I’m not really sure what the answer is to this! This blog is not about summer survival but about looking ahead. Sometimes we just have to accept that some seasons in life have certain challenges/enjoyment inherent in them. All I can say is to embrace them and do your best for yourself and your family.

That being said, September is merely weeks away and with that comes the opportunity to get the family schedule back on track. As much as I love the changes our summer schedule brings, I also enjoy routine. And don’t get me started on how much I love the cooler, crisp temperatures, and the beautiful fall colors on the trees!

Here are three areas to consider as you pull out your calendar and look ahead to the coming months. Be very honest with yourself about your priorities and be 100% willing to schedule these in the “free” time in your calendar first.

1) Family
Do you say that you want more time with your family but find yourself signing the kids up for every activity possible and running in different directions all week long? How many nights do you eat dinner together as a family? We choose one weeknight each week that we call Family Night. We purposely avoid any planned activities, errands or chores that evening and spend it together having fun. We’ve found it is a great way to reconnect with our boys mid-week and look forward to a taste of the weekend in the midst of our busy schedules.

If you live alone, how often do you connect with your extended family or with close friends? Relationships take time and effort. There are no shortcuts. Schedule in time each week, choose a loved one, and connect.

2) Health
Do you insist that your health is a priority but if someone were to look at your calendar the word “exercise” would be non-existent? Exercise has to be planned. If your game plan is to just squeeze it in when you feel like it, it will not happen with the frequency that is required to keep you vibrant and fit. Seriously. Do NOT kid yourself.

Are you on track with your chiropractic adjustments? Again, plan ahead and make them a priority. Your health and quality of life depend on it. Maintain your structural corrective momentum and at your regular exams, you will see the results in your x-rays. A wonderful side benefit to a healthy nervous system, free from interference, is a stronger immune system. As we enter the fall and winter seasons, it is in your best interest and that of your entire family to go in with your full “armor”.

3) Play Time
Nope. Not a typo. Most people claim that they want to be happy but wake up each day to nothing but drudgery-inducing “To Do” lists. Pay bills. Clean bathrooms. Pick up dry cleaning. How boring is that!?

Put some fun items on your list. Pick some time each week to do the things that actually put a smile on your face. I’ve often heard that the things we enjoyed as a child are a good place to start. You might be surprised at how little it takes to make you feel more lighthearted.

And how is this for the ultimate in multi-tasking? Find a way to incorporate all three of the above with one activity!

Wishing you and your family a wonderful end of summer and transition to the fall season!

Marisol Haughton
Ascension Chiropractic Health Centre