By Marci Thear | Dig In Fitness

This year during tax season stay healthy and focused, and you’ll finish feeling empowered instead of depleted. Here are five ways to increase your energy, health, and productivity during your busiest season.

Be Realistic

Know your strengths and weaknesses. A sink-or-swim mentality is not an extra weight you want to carry in addition to your work load. If you know where you will need help, you can make the adjustments you need to succeed early on. When you are heading into a busy time where you know your time and energy will be challenged, take a moment to assess when and where you may need assistance. Is it time management, stress reduction, meal planning, work-life balance, or maybe staying focused? When you are honest with yourself, you can set manageable and realistic goals. These will boost your confidence and set you up for success. Then you can keep challenging yourself and feel confident during the stressful period.

Eat a High-Fiber, Nutrient-Dense Breakfast

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we also regularly struggle to make a habit of eating a healthy one. Whether you are slow to get an appetite, short on time, or just not a morning person, eating breakfast often takes a back seat. Don’t miss this meal! Eating breakfast has the ability to set the tone for your day. Benefits include eating fewer calories throughout the rest of the day, boosting your metabolism and training your body to use the energy stores it already has on hand (stored fat).

But there is an even bigger win. Carbohydrates are essential for healthy brain function. By consuming a high-quality breakfast to start your day, you can improve your memory and concentration, as well as improve your mood and lower stress. That’s huge when you’re super busy!

Desk Fitness

If you’re not a fitness fanatic, no worries. Every little effort may help. Studies show that quick breaks have just as much of an impact on our cognitive function as a 30-minute workout. So, push your chair back, stand up, stretch, and maybe take a walk to the water cooler. Your body and your mind will thank you.

Breathe – Be Mindful

We have all heard about mindfulness and being present in the moment. This movement has proven to reduce stress and increase happiness. So, how do we get into this homeostasis mindset? Try a breathing exercise. Sit with your eyes closed and breathe in as you concentrate on one word. Let’s say “calm.” Then breathe out, long and slow, as you concentrate on another word. Let’s say “stress.” Go ahead and try it, it’s free!

Schedule Downtime

You already know that you will be stretched thin and working long hours. What are you going to do with your downtime? Adding a scheduled commitment is probably the last thing you want to do, but if you plan your downtime it will serve as something to look forward to and you will stay more focused during your time off. Ever notice how Friday happy hours tend to get out of hand? That’s because they are usually impromptu celebrations after a hard work week. Try scheduling a dinner with friends or a movie with your family. They’ve had a long week without you as well. You will be able to celebrate and unwind, but in a healthy and focused manner.

Are you ready to dig into your healthiest tax season? Set yourself up for success by watching for emails and social media posts this March and April from the Winter Wellness Program offered by the PICPA and Dig In Fitness! Enjoy nutritious tips and recipes, office workouts and stress-reducing exercises, motivations, and healthy-habit-building incentives.

Marci Thear, CPT, MPH, is a Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach with Dig In Fitness.