My Physical Activity Planner: Fill & Download for Free

Planning and focusingPlanningHowever smart/hard working you may be, having a foresight and vision about what you have to do in the near future has a fantastic impact on your productivity. Spending a few hours over the year just charting out what you have to do can have a tremendous impact on productivity.To do this, you can use a systematic top down approach, which is as follows:Plan for the year : You may think "I don't know what I am going to do tomorrow, how can I do this?". Nope, that's just being lazy and procastinating. You don't need to be perfectly accurate, you need to have a ballpark idea of what you want to make out of the year. Everyone plans, including companies in more unpredicatable environments, and the good planners tend to do great. On an individual level, things that you can think you want to do are "learn guitar", "lose weight", "get that six pack", "improve my grades", "learn Economics", "get a better appraisal", "become a better writer" ... the list is endless but you get the drift.Plan for the month : Now that you have an idea of what you want to do in the year, you can plan for the month. Decide what activity is on a higher priority in the month, prioritize and broadly allocate time percentages for each activity. For example if I want to spend 2 hours a week playing guitar, that makes it 8 hours a month and of the 16*30 = 480 waking hours I have, I will want to spend 1/60th or 2% of the time playing guitar. You will have four or five major activities that you can do apart from the normal "routine" i.e. going to work, going to classes etc. It is actually easier done than said when you sit down and get to work.Plan for the week : This one is fairly straightforward. Accounting for certain week specific events, you can fit the activities planned for the month quite easily into the remaining time. There will generally be some rhythm and try to make a routine i.e. do certain repititive things at the same time in the day or the same time in the week. Your body and mind tend to perform best when you get into the groove.Plan for the day : This will happen almost automatically as you will know exactly what you want to do. In fact, spending around 30-45 minutes at the beginning of the week and 2-3 minutes a day can help you get a fair idea of the week (it will be 80% accurate, Pareto Principle haha). Use a calendar to put in the everything, use technology here. This can be done at EOD just before going to sleep. Thinking about what you have to do the next day before you sleep makes it quite likely your schedule stays in your head.You may end up spending 20 minutes a day on average, throughout the year, planning. But, it will surely reap you much higher rewards than the time invested.FocusPlanning is not the only thing one must do. Channelizing your energy in a focused and productive manner is also of significant importance. These are a few things that help you do so.The Myth of Multi-tasking: Whatever XYZ report says, multi-tasking is insanely difficult and counter productive. You may think that you're doing many things at one time, but you are actually dividing your concentration over many things and you are being less productive. I speak from experience. Research also notes that multi-tasking has significant switching costs i.e. the productivity cost of switching between activities. (Multitasking Switching costs).Resisting Temptation: Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter used unhindered are massive productivity killers. Even with all this planning, if you succumb to "oh I have to this, but let me just check that chat for fifteen minutes", you'll be getting nowhere and probably frustrated if you succumb to them.Be healthy and fit : Take out sometime every day (or at least thrice a week) to engage in strenous physical activity. Most of us now tend to have sedentary lifestyles. Physical activity is a massive booster for body stamina and mental productivity and do not undermine it. You might be the best planner, but if you're lethargic you may find it hard to be at your productive best at all times.

Any human being can change though but only the thing is that you have to be FIRM with that.You all might have heard this quotes:Dr. Abdul Kalam — 'You cannot change your FUTURE, you can change your HABITS. And surely your HABITS will change your FUTURE'Changing Your Habits for Better HealthAre you thinking about being more active? Have you been trying to cut back on less healthy foods? Are you starting to eat better and move more but having a hard time sticking with these changes?Old habits die hard. Changing your habits is a process that involves several stages. Sometimes it takes a while before changes become new habits. And, you may face roadblocks along the way.Adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems like obesity and diabetes. New habits, like healthy eating and regular physical activity, may also help you manage your weight and have more energy. After a while, if you stick with these changes, they may become part of your daily routine.New habits may help you look better and have more energy.The information below outlines four stages you may go through when changing your health habits or behavior. You will also find tips to help you improve your eating, physical activity habits, and overall health. The four stages of changing a health behavior arecontemplationpreparationactionmaintenanceWhat stage of change are you in?Contemplation: “I’m thinking about it.”In this first stage, you are thinking about change and becoming motivated to get started.You might be in this stage if youhave been considering change but are not quite ready to startbelieve that your health, energy level, or overall well-being will improve if you develop new habitsare not sure how you will overcome the roadblocks that may keep you from starting to changePreparation: “I have made up my mind to take action.”In this next stage, you are making plans and thinking of specific ideas that will work for you.You might be in this stage if youhave decided that you are going to change and are ready to take actionhave set some specific goals that you would like to meetare getting ready to put your plan into actionAction: “I have started to make changes.”In this third stage, you are acting on your plan and making the changes you set out to achieve.You might be in this stage if youhave been making eating, physical activity, and other behavior changes in the last 6 months or soare adjusting to how it feels to eat healthier, be more active, and make other changes such as getting more sleep or reducing screen timehave been trying to overcome things that sometimes block your successMaintenance: “I have a new routine.”In this final stage, you have become used to your changes and have kept them up for more than 6 months.You might be in this stage ifyour changes have become a normal part of your routineyou have found creative ways to stick with your routineyou have had slip-ups and setbacks but have been able to get past them and make progressDid you find your stage of change? Read on for ideas about what you can do next.Contemplation: Are you thinking of making changes?Making the leap from thinking about change to taking action can be hard and may take time. Asking yourself about the pros (benefits) and cons (things that get in the way) of changing your habits may be helpful. How would life be better if you made some changes?Think about how the benefits of healthy eating or regular physical activity might relate to your overall health. For example, suppose your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is a bit high and you have a parent, brother, or sister who has type 2 diabetes. This means you also may develop type 2 diabetes. You may find that it is easier to be physically active and eat healthy knowing that it may help control blood glucose and protect you from a serious disease.Making the leap from thinking about change to taking action can be hard and may take a while.You may learn more about the benefits of changing your eating and physical activity habits from a health care professional. This knowledge may help you take action.Look at the lists of pros and cons below. Find the items you believe are true for you. Think about factors that are important to you.Healthy EatingProsConshave more energyimprove my healthlower my risk for health problemsmaintain a healthy weightfeel proud of myselfset an example for friends and family______________________________________________may spend more money and time on foodmay need to cook more often at homemay need to eat less of foods I lovemay need to buy different foodsmay need to convince my family that we all have to eat healthier foods______________________________________________Physical ActivityProsConsimprove my healthreduce my risk for serious health problemsfeel better about myselfbecome strongerhave funtake time to care for myselfmeet new people and spend time with themhave more energymaintain a healthy weightbecome a role model for others______________________________________________takes too much time and energyit is too hot or cold outsidefeel self-consciousam nervous about my healthcould hurt myselfam not good at being activedo not know what to dohave no one to be active witham not young or fit enoughkeeps me from family and friends______________________________________________Preparation: Have you made up your mind?If you are in the preparation stage, you are about to take action. To get started, look at your list of pros and cons. How can you make a plan and act on it?The chart below lists common roadblocks you may face and possible solutions to overcome roadblocks as you begin to change your habits. Think about these things as you make your plan.RoadblockSolutionI don’t have time.Make your new healthy habit a priority. Fit in physical activity whenever and wherever you can. Try taking the stairs or getting off the bus a stop early if it is safe to do so. Set aside one grocery shopping day a week, and make healthy meals that you can freeze and eat later when you don’t have time to cook.Healthy habits cost too much.You can walk around the mall, a school track, or a local park for free. Eat healthy on a budget by buying in bulk and when items are on sale, and by choosing frozen or canned fruits and vegetables.I can’t make this change alone.Recruit others to be active with you, which will help you stay motivated and safe. Consider signing up for a fun fitness class like salsa dancing. Get your family or coworkers on the healthy eating bandwagon. Plan healthy meals together with your family, or start a healthy potluck once a week at work.I don’t like physical activity.Forget the old notion that being physically active means lifting weights in a gym. You can be active in many ways, including dancing, walking, or gardening. Make your own list of options that appeal to you. Explore options you never thought about, and stick with what you enjoy.I don’t like healthy foods.Try making your old favorite recipes in healthier new ways. For example, you can trim fat from meats and reduce the amount of butter, sugar, and salt you cook with. Use low-fat cheeses or milk rather than whole-milk foods. Add a cup or two of broccoli, carrots, or spinach to casseroles or pasta.Once you have made up your mind to change your habits, make a plan and set goals for taking action. Here are some ideas for making your plan:learn more about healthy eating and food portionslearn more about being physically activemake lists ofhealthy foods that you like or may need to eat more of—or more oftenfoods you love that you may need to eat less oftenthings you could do to be more physically activefun activities you like and could do more often, such as dancingAfter making your plan, start setting goals for putting your plan into action. Start with small changes. For example, “I’m going to walk for 10 minutes, three times a week.” What is the one step you can take right away?Action: Have you started to make changes?You are making real changes to your lifestyle, which is fantastic! To stick with your new habitsreview your planlook at the goals you set and how well you are meeting themovercome roadblocks by planning ahead for setbacksreward yourself for your hard workTrack your progressTracking your progress helps you spot your strengths, find areas where you can improve, and stay on course. Record not only what you did, but how you felt while doing it—your feelings can play a role in making your new habits stick.Recording your progress may help you stay focused and catch setbacks in meeting your goals. Remember that a setback does not mean you have failed. All of us experience setbacks. The key is to get back on track as soon as you can.You can track your progress with online tools such as the SuperTracker and the NIH Body Weight Planner. The SuperTracker is a free, online physical activity-, food-, and weight-tracking tool. The NIH Body Weight Planner, part of the SuperTracker, lets you make eating and physical activity plans to reach your personal goals within a specific time period.Overcome roadblocksRemind yourself why you want to be healthier. Perhaps you want the energy to play with your nieces and nephews or to be able to carry your own grocery bags. Recall your reasons for making changes when slip-ups occur. Decide to take the first step to get back on track.Problem-solve to “outsmart” roadblocks. For example, plan to walk indoors, such as at a mall, on days when bad weather keeps you from walking outside.Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it, and always try to plan ahead. For example, if you know that you will not have time to be physically active after work, go walking with a coworker at lunch or start your day with an exercise video.Reward yourselfAfter reaching a goal or milestone, allow for a nonfood reward such as new workout gear or a new workout device. Also consider posting a message on social media to share your success with friends and family.Choose rewards carefully. Although you should be proud of your progress, keep in mind that a high-calorie treat or a day off from your activity routine are not the best rewards to keep you healthy.Pat yourself on the back. When negative thoughts creep in, remind yourself how much good you are doing for your health by moving more and eating healthier.Maintenance: Have you created a new routine?Make your future a healthy one. Remember that eating healthy, getting regular physical activity, and other healthy habits are lifelong behaviors, not one-time events. Always keep an eye on your efforts and seek ways to deal with the planned and unplanned changes in life.Eating healthy and being physically active are lifelong behaviors, not one-time events.Now that healthy eating and regular physical activity are part of your routine, keep things interesting, avoid slip-ups, and find ways to cope with what life throws at you.Add variety and stay motivatedMix up your routine with new physical activities and goals, physical activity buddies, foods, recipes, and rewards.Deal with unexpected setbacksPlan ahead to avoid setbacks. For example, find other ways to be active in case of bad weather, injury, or other issues that arise. Think of ways to eat healthy when traveling or dining out, like packing healthy snacks while on the road or sharing an entrée with a friend in a restaurant.If you do have a setback, don’t give up. Setbacks happen to everyone. Regroup and focus on meeting your goals again as soon as you can.Challenge yourself!Revisit your goals and think of ways to expand them. For example, if you are comfortable walking 5 days a week, consider adding strength training twice a week. If you have limited your saturated fat intake by eating less fried foods, try cutting back on added sugars, too. Small changes can lead to healthy habits worth keeping.

Correction: I’m getting so many comments and sometimes even misinterpretations of what I’ve written that I really want to make it clear first. I love the Netherlands as a country. I like living and working here. I have Dutch friends and I am happy to have such reliable people around. Neither of those characteristics are purely good or bad. It can be both ways. There’s nothing wrong about being individualistic because it shows that people feel responsible for themselves and don’t wait for other to take care of them (isn’t that awesome?). It’s great to be good with money! I wish I was Dutch in that sense so I’d be much better with my savings. There’s nothing wrong about having an opinion and being assertive. I am learning a lot from these people! There’s no 100% good or bad character trait. Flip any of those around, and your positives become your negatives or vice versa.I can go on and on. The point of this comment is to share my opinion on what distinguishes the Dutch from other nationalities and this is what I subjectively observe. As you might have noticed, I never make judgements that any of these traits are purely good or bad. So enjoy my original post below.*****I have been living and working in the Netherlands for quite some time already. Here are some of my observations about their character:- extremely self-confident: I haven’t met so many self-confident people in any other country. The Dutch LOVE expressing their opinions and it doesn’t matter whether they’re asked to do so or not. They will just let you know. They call it assertiveness and highly prioritise it among their virtues;- loud everywhere: this might be related to my previous statement. They talk and express their opinions everywhere… They are loud at work, loud at restaurants and especially bars. I personally sometimes get a feeling that this is not talking but rather shouting;- extremely direct: again, I believe that the Netherlands is among the most confrontational nations on this planet. Here I have to admit that some people can be blunt to the point that expats would normally perceive such behaviour as rudeness and they most likely will be right;- therefore, not very empathetic: meaning the Dutch are better speakers than listeners. Sometimes you just want to talk and be heard (i.e. ventilate your feelings) without any judgement. Well, try doing this around Dutch people and you’ll get a lecture on how you should behave in order to fix your problems even though you haven’t asked for any advice;- individualistic: you probably know about the “I” (individualistic) and “WE” (collectivistic) cultures. The Dutch are representatives of the “I” culture, meaning “my needs first”. So people prioritise personal needs and don’t like making sacrifices. If one needs help, he or she must ask for it explicitly because the Dutch are not those who offer their help without being asked. If you arrive to your Dutch friends’ house during dinner time, chances are high you might be sitting and waiting until they finish. And don’t think your Dutch friend is going to cancel his/her plans because you’re in town offering to meet tonight;- money, money, money: they love money and try saving up whenever possible. They would set temperature to 15 in their living rooms in winter just to save an extra penny. Also, they don’t heat their bathrooms or corridors at home at all, and you probably now understand why. By the way, if a Dutch person invited you for dinner please don’t assume he/she is paying. You’ll get your bill, sit together, use you mobile phone’s calculator and transfer your part immediately. This has become an idiom in the English language and is called “going Dutch”;- emancipated women: women are treated equally here. Don’t expect ceremonies like men helping to take off your coat or opening doors. I was shocked at first though when I saw multiple families leaving groceries shops and women carrying heavy bags while their partners were walking next to them keeping hands in their pockets. Needless to say that if you are on a date and decide to eat out with a Dutch man, you’ll most likely go Dutch too;- egalitarian: forget the hierarchy. Everybody has an opinion about everything in the Netherlands. If a cashier is unhappy about his working conditions, he/she will approach the manager and tell exactly what’s up. If you are a boss of any size company in the Netherlands, don’t expect the red carpet and people to follow your orders because of your higher status. Any person can approach you and openly tell what you’re doing wrong/right. The Dutch know how to stand up for themselves and their rights. If you study at any university, expect your professor to be a regular Frank, John or Paul and forget about Sirs, Misters, Dear Professors, etc. Status doesn’t mean much in this country;- born with an agenda so not spontaneous at all: the Dutch are planners and they love planning. They plan their next summer vacation a year in advance. If you want to visit a friend, you have to make an appointment a few weeks in advance. The Dutch make appointments with their family members as well. Unexpected visits are not highly appreciated here.And few ones about their habits & preferences:- very good at languages: most people are able to understand and speak English very well. Besides knowledge of the English language, it is typical to possess conversational skills of at least one or even few other languages. Quite some people study 3-4 foreign languages during their high school years and some people just pick them up while traveling or watching movies (in the Netherlands, people watch movies on TV in their original languages with subtitles only);- highly educated, open-minded and curious: both public and private schools are able to provide with high level education. Unlike in other countries, those don’t differ in the Netherlands. The Netherlands also has very good universities with very high international rankings. Besides that, people are generally curious and love trying out something new, develop a new skill, pick up a new hobby, etc.;- the Dutch love sports: everyone has his or her favourite. Soccer is the most popular one but many people also do ice skating, tennis, cycling, rowing, swimming, you name it. Many people buy gym memberships or just do jogging by themselves, too. Oh, and I forgot to mention that in spring/summer/autumn time those public outdoors pilates, yoga or even kickboxing classes are super popular;- very physically active in general: not only they love sports but also try staying active in their daily activities. Like they’d rather bike to work for 1 hour or walk to a grocery shop for 0.5 hour just to get some exercise while in other countries people would consider such distances as long distance and drive;- internationally minded: there’re so many internationals in the Netherlands that nobody cares where you’re from. If you consider their history and international trading experience, the Dutch have been used to living and working with foreigners for many years. It doesn’t bother them at all and that makes this country very attractive among expats, too.Disclaimer: of course I generalise and have met people whose characteristics deviate from my description.