Seeing health as a priority

About two months ago Marcus and I made a deal; he'd tire out Nova two mornings a week so that I could head out to a coffee shop for 3-4 hours to get work done at the very start of the day.

I need my monitor for client work, but everything else that I work on on the backend can be done without a big screen – and if I get out of the apartment I get SO MUCH MORE done than if I work from home.

As a result, we've been dividing up our mornings accordingly since that day, and it's been amazing!

The problem is, the other three weekdays I start my morning with Nova's 1,5-2 hour outing and half an hour of yoga, I feel really unproductive. Like I've already wasted half the day by the time I've been out with Nova, done yoga, and made lunch. Often because of this mentality, my afternoons are less productive – unless tasks are on a deadline.

On the days I start off at the coffee shop, my afternoons are productive, too, because I've hit such a stride and want to keep the good feels going.

Yesteday morning I started off walking with Nova, thinking about ways to make my mornings more productive.  But over the course of the walk I slowly came to a realization;

My health is a priority.

Why on earth was I telling myself that taking a 4-mile walk/jog and doing a half hour of yoga was a waste of time?

Seems I had seen exercise as an inconvenience – when it’s actually important, and therefore productive.

As a sole business owner, I really need to prioritize looking after myself.

How will I be able to do my job properly, to be present for the families I work with, if I'm not rested, nourished, and energized?

Who will do my job if I get sick because I didn't take care of myself?

As someone's wife, as someone's friend, and maybe someday as someone's mom, I need to prioritize looking after myself.

You know what they say,

"Put on your own oxygen mask first, before helping others."

Maybe this shift in how I think about my healthy mornings will help me be more productive in the afternoons. Even if I don't have a "productive start" to the day in the eyes of this hustle generation, I know I'm doing something important for my body and mind in the long run.