5 Quick Tips for Managing a Busy Week

My brother texted me earlier this week to announce that Thanksgiving is just 2 weeks away…which of course means Christmas and the start of Hanukkah is just 6 weeks away, and then it’s New Year’s Eve, and the books will close on 2024. Now throw in all of the “end of year” wrap-up at work…can you feel the “busyness” starting to creep in?

At this time of year, it’s so very easy to become overwhelmed by the “busyness” of the season. So for today’s Fit Five Friday I’m re-sharing a few quick tips for managing a busy week.

This post was originally published in May 2022.

Five Quick Tips for Managing a Busy Week

Prioritize — When your calendar is overflowing, let go of trying to do “all the things” and just focus on those things that are non-negotiable. Also, protect your time by being willing to say no to some obligations. Remember that “No” is a complete sentence.

Delegate and ask for help — Even after setting your priorities you may find there are still too many items on your to-do list. Time to enlist some help! Don’t fall into the “superwoman” trap – ask friends, family, or co-workers to help take a few things off your plate.

Take breaks — Trying to go at full speed all day will leave you feeling depleted and will just add to the feeling of being overwhelmed. So be sure to schedule some breaks in your day. And, yes, schedule them or they won’t happen! Step away from your computer to get some fresh air to take a walk, throw on some music and have a quick dance party, or literally just stop and take some deep breaths to settle yourself.

Get enough sleep — When you’re in the middle of a particularly busy stretch it is so important to give both body and mind a chance to rest and recharge.

Eat wisely — In the same way, you need to give your mind and body the rest it needs, also make sure that you’re fueling properly. Coffee is not a complete meal! Heading into a busy week, stock up on healthy snacks so you’ve got easy, and healthy, grab-and-go options. Plan and prep meals in advance so you won’t risk defaulting to lots of take-out…or worse yet, forgetting to eat altogether (am I the only one guilty of this?).

How do you manage when things get busy?

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Being a Duck

As expected this week’s schedule was off the chain but I’m happy to say that all went well, including a successful fundraising event for work! Knowing what was on deck, my approach to my workouts was to do what I could when I could. Here’s how my week in fitness played out.

Week 19 – Being a Duck

Monday — 1.5-mile walk.
Tuesday — 2-mile walk, Upper Body Strength & Stretch.
Wednesday –– 4-mile run, Core & Stretch.

Thursday — 1-mile walk, Lower Body Strength & Stretch.
Friday — 3-mile run, Core & Stretch.
Saturday — Peloton bike, 2-mile walk & full-body strength courtesy of yard work

Working on reducing this mulch pile

Sunday — 5-mile run & Stretch.

Another busy week awaits so I’ll be spending the rest of today relaxing and soaking up the sunshine!

In case you missed it:

5 Quick Tips for Managing a Busy Week

How did your week go?

I’m linking up with Kim and Deborah for the Weekly Run Down. Join us!

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Weekly Wrap: Trying to find a groove

Happy Sunday!

How was your first full week of the new year?

My week was straight up crazy! I expected things to be hectic at work, but throw in a mild concussion for my youngest (ah the joys of hockey) and a 100 lb. dog with an ear-infection who won’t cooperate with the vet, and yeah…I couldn’t get to Friday fast enough!

Amongst the chaos, I did what I could to eke out my workouts. Here’s how things went down:

Monday – Strength work
Tuesday – 3.25 mile run in the sleet and fog
Wednesday – Rest day
Thursday – 4 miles in ridiculous wind


Friday – Rest
Saturday – 5.25 miles


Sunday – Yoga

While we dodged the snow here, the bitter cold came charging back this week, and it looks like winter is finally planning to stick around for a bit.

Thankfully, my son is doing better, except for being cranky about not being able to return to the ice, and he’ll be headed back to school tomorrow. My furbaby is also on the mend, so peace is finally returning to the RWA household!

And that’s a wrap!

I’m joining Wendy and Holly for the Weekly Wrap, and guest host Kim.

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Weekly Wrap – Just Go Go Go

This was a week of go-go-go. There was much to juggle between work and home and once again I was doing the single parent drill as J was traveling again. I’ll admit there were many times this week where my patience was seriously tested. While carving out time for my workouts is always a priority, it was key to my sanity this week!

I’m linking up with Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap so here’s a quick look at how I kept my sanity this week.

Monday: Mondays are usually rest days, but thanks to the #RunNovemberChallenge, I got out for a quick powerwalk around the block.

Tuesday: The frigid temps continued as I had to learn to re-acquaint myself with my layering skills 🙂

Wednesday: A leg burning workout was on the decks as I met E for time on the ‘mill and then hit the weights.

Thursday: DOMS kicked in from Wednesday workout which made this run a real challenge. But I knew I had a crazy day ahead and squeezing in this time for myself was worth running on tired legs.

Friday: By the time Friday rolled around I was t-i-r-e-d! I met a friend for lunch, got a brisk mile walk in and called it a day.

Saturday: I had planned to run, but just couldn’t get motivated to get out in the cold. I knew Sunday was supposed to be warmed and my legs were aching for a good stretch so I swapped in some yoga and another mile and gave my body the rest it craved.

Sunday: It was definitely warmer when my alarm when off, but also pouring rain. Yeah no…so I waited out the rain and finally headed out in the early afternoon. The wind was swirling and non-stop, but it was 50 degrees!

So despite the crazy week, I still managed 4.25 miles walking, 9 miles running, 5 minutes of planking/day, plus some time with both weights and my yoga mat – sanity saved!

How was your week? 

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Weekly Wrap – So Tired

 

This week was uber busy with much going on at both work and home. At work, I’m driving a huge program towards its launch date and also had a major fundraising event. On the home front, we’ve been redecorating my youngest son’s room (going from Red Sox theme to Boston Bruins – yes we love our hometown teams!) and starting to get ready for heading back to school. Put it all together, and I am just so tired!

Monday: Rest.

Tuesday: 3-mile run. After Sunday’s pain-free run I was keeping my fingers crossed for this run, and it did not disappoint. I took it slow and easy and the ankle was happy.

Wednesday: Cross-training was planned, but schedules collided and it just didn’t happen. I did manage to squeeze in my PT exercises for my ankle.

Thursday: Yoga day!

Friday: I spent most of the day either traveling to and from the event site or doing event set-up. With 10,700 steps logged I wasn’t sure how my legs would feel about 800-meter repeats, but I didn’t want to miss a run day. So as soon as I got home, I changed and headed straight to the gym so I had the option of hitting the Arc Trainer if I couldn’t finish the repeats.  The repeats weren’t pretty, but I got ’em done!

My new fave compression sleeves!

Saturday: Event day – happy to say things ran smoothly, we had a great turnout, and I enjoyed, once again, playing race director. I logged 14,827 steps (that’s 6.58 miles!) and by the time I made the 2-hour drive home to say I was toast would be an understatement!

Sunday:  I allowed myself to sleep in before heading out to get another 5 miles in. My legs were so heavy and I quickly adopted the mantra “just a mind set” – I kept telling myself tired was just a mind set and instead tried to enjoy the low humidity (nice change!) and the fact that the ankle was still cooperating. The rest of the day was one of well-earned lazing on the deck.

With the ankle cooperating, I’m going to try to increase my mileage this week. Fingers-crossed!

I’m joining Holly & Tricia for the Weekly Wrap, and this week’s guest host Madhuri.

 

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Weekly Wrap – Can I get a Do-Over?

You ever have those weeks where you just wish you could hit the re-wind button? Last week was one where I just felt like I had too many balls in the air…and quite honestly I should have put a few of them down, and for my own sanity, said no a little more often. Ah well…lesson learned.

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But before I put the week squarely in my rearview mirror, I’m linking up again with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap.

Monday, 8/15: For some reason I just could not get my face out of the pillow, so I pushed my run to later in the day…then life happened and the run didn’t.

Tuesday, 8/16: Still feeling a little on the tired side, I swapped my Tuesday track work with Thursday’s run. 5 miles done.

Wednesday, 8/17: Strength day with Trainer Stacey! Had my first ever workout with Kettlebells – it was challenging and I loved every minute of it.

Thursday, 8/18:  I was seriously feeling the previous day’s kettlebell session as I headed to the track, and I kinda knew this workout might not go as planned. After two weeks of successful workouts with 400 and 800 meter repeats, I was quickly reminded that 1600 meter repeats are a whole other beast. 4 miles done, but man oh man did I struggle…

Friday, 8/19: I spent most of the day working to set up a big multisport event that serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit I work with.

Saturday, 8/20: Event day – up at 3 am and onsite by 5…according to my FitBit I covered over 6 miles as I ran and walked back and forth along the course – we were short volunteers so there was never a moment of downtime. I finally returned home almost 12 hours later.

Sunday, 8/21:  10 miles was on the plan, but after the past two days it should have been no surprise that my legs…in fact my whole body was toast. There was no way I was going to make it through double digits, so I just went out to see what my legs would give me. I managed to eek out a solid 5 miles and was grateful for that. I huddled with the RC coaches later in the day and will give the 10 miler another shot on Tuesday.

So somehow I managed to get 20 miles in this week, and given all I was juggling I’ll take it. Luckily, the family is escaping to the White Mountains for a little R&R this week so things should be calmer!

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Weekly Wrap – Sprinting through days

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This time of year is always so hectic at our house as we inch our way closer to summer – and I’m sure I’m not alone on this. I really thought this image perfectly captured how I’ve been feeling. And, while it’s been crazy busy, it’s also been a lot of fun!

On Thursday, we enjoyed a great graduation ceremony and celebration for my oldest son, followed by my youngest son’s 4th grade concert on Friday (both boys have banned me from sharing photos). Then it was on to our final lacrosse games of the season.

Our town hosts a big tournament every year, and round-robin games kicked off Friday evening and went on all weekend. My husband J was coaching , both boys were playing, and J and I were also on the organizing committee so you can imagine what the weekend was like! Way too much take out has been consumed and everyone is exhausted, but it was great family time and I wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂 Though I must admit I’m looking forward to having some lazy Sundays ahead…

On the workout front, I managed to keep focused on my new training plan, with only a minor adjustment or two:

Monday:   Despite a migraine, I did manage to get a short run in – and a chance to try my new kicks from Ampla Sports!

Ampla Fitsnap
Tuesday: Unplanned rest day
Wednesday: Strength work: Core & Glutes
Thursday:  Another 3 miles
Friday:  Cross-training on the Arc Trainer
Saturday:  5 miles more before spending hours on my feet volunteering and cheering at the lax tournament
Sunday:  Rest day – I had though about squeezing in a few miles this morning, but my legs quickly let me know that would not be a good choice!

I’m linking up again with Holly & Tricia for the #WeeklyWrap — big thanks to them for hosting!

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Thursday Thoughts

My head is swimming with final logistics for the event I’m working this weekend, along with camp prep, birthday and Father’s Day gifts that still need to be bought….well you get the idea….So today I’m joining in with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday and a little randomness coming your way.

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Camp pack lists – As we start assembling everything on my son’s camp pack list, I continue to marvel at just how much he’s taking with him. And, I’m also discovering how time consuming it is to label everything!

Paper explosion – Just as I was starting to feel a little in control of the paper clutter that often consumes my dining room table and kitchen counter, my 3rd grader’s been bringing home a steady stream of papers and art projects from throughout the year, and once again my dining table has disappeared. Really how many worksheets do these kids do?

Calendar white space – One of the things getting me through the sheer nuttiness of this week/weekend is seeing all the white space on the calendar for the next couple of weeks. The last school event is done and lacrosse season is over, and I have visions of more relaxed evenings and the return of family dinners.

Training plans – It’s been a while since I’ve been on a training plan, and after reading about so many getting ready to kick off their fall training, it’s got me kinda itching to get started. I’m still playing with my fall race calendar….

Zealots

New shoes – It was suggested by the orthopedists that I consider changing up my running shoes and try to opt for something with a little more cushion than my beloved Kinvaras – especially as I get back into the swing of things. So I’m going to give the Saucony Zealot ISOs a whirl – they’re suppose to offer the light weight and ride of the Kinvara with maximum cushioning – sounds like what the doctor ordered. Going to take them for a test run later today!

So tell me, are you drowning in end-of-school-year papers? Have you started your fall training?

Don’t forget to checkout my Wahoo Fitness giveaway!

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Thursday Thoughts – Just a little randomness

Can you see FridayThis has been one crazy week…(and it’s not over yet!)

…the kind where you try to juggle work and a sick kiddo. My oldest son was hit with a virus on Saturday and was down and out until making it back to school on Wednesday.

…the kind where it’s 3:00 and you realize you forgot to eat lunch – happened more than once this week…not good!

…the kind where you finally get an appointment with a sports med doc, only to get caught in a crazy traffic jam and you have to reschedule (Found out later that the traffic was caused by a car fire…luckily no one was hurt!)

…the kind where you tear the house apart trying to find your sunglasses, only to then realize they’re on top of your head (Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s done this?!)

Yep it’s been an interesting week so far…but I have a massage scheduled for later today, so it’s all good 🙂

How’s your week going? Have you ever forgotten to eat?

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I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud.

 

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Week 8 and Counting

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Fall weather has finally arrived! Hallelujah!

It was pretty crazy here last week as there were lots of school activities, sports practices and homework to adjust to. In between, I managed to log 23.5 miles for the week:

Monday:  5.5 miles.

Tuesday:  Leg and core work.

Wednesday:  Pilates Barre class.

Thursday:  Hill repeats – 7 miles total.

Friday:   3 miles on an Alter G treadmill – (more on this coming in a separate post!)

Saturday: 8 miles. The plan had been to do 10, but around 6 my ITB really tightened up. I tried to run through it…but those of you who’ve dealt with cranky ITBs know that’s not how it works. I could tell my form was starting to suffer so I cut the run at 8. Lots of rolling, time in my compression shorts and some icing seemed to have helped.

Sunday:  Rest day.

I know that the ITB flare up was a direct result of not following my usual recovery routine this week. I was jamming in workouts and then skipping my usual rolling, icing, and strengthening exercises. So guess what I’ll be focusing on this week 🙂

Do you have a regular recovery routine? Do you feel the effects if you skip it?

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