Three barriers I face when trying to successfully enact my health behavior changes are 1) time, 2) energy levels, and 3) distractions.
Time is an issue because of school responsibilities. I have 2 graduate classes per week. Each class meets once a week and are each about 3 hours long. Of course, they also require time outside of class to be spent on assignments (article/book readings, writing a business plan, other projects, etc). I also have a residency as part of my OTD program, which is ~20 hrs/week. I work on my OTD project/portfolio during the week, too. All of this leaves me with limited time for non-school activities and leisure activities. Chores and caring for my pets take up a nice chunk of non-school time. While I usually don't cook from scratch, I try choose easy-to-prepare foods (love Trader Joe's) that are a bit healthier than frozen dinners and/or fast food. This saves me some time on cooking, without sacrificing too much health-wise (although, I do have a weakness for Cup'O'Noodles and the like). After all my responsibilities are taken care of, I like to spend the rest of my free-time engaging in more relaxing, restful, and/or fun activities (reading, watching TV, shopping, hanging out with friends). Even though working out has such positive benefits and can be fun, it has not been on my free-time priority list.
Poor energy levels have a lot to do with the above time issue. Right now, when I get done with school for the day, I am unmotivated to exercise or be conscious of preparing a healthy meal. Because so much of my day is spent thinking (mental exertion) and requires some physical exertion (taking public transportation, walking around the hospital, etc), I usually come home exhausted and feel like taking an afternoon/early evening nap. It is a real challenge to stay up and not nap because napping would just ruin my sleep schedule. I have a hard time getting to bed early, but try to get to bed by midnight. I usually never feel refreshed when I wake up before 10 am. I also think my poor eating habits contribute to my poor energy levels. If I eat less sugar and more whole grains, I should have more stable energy levels throughout the day. I also notice that when I eat a late lunch, I tend to eat more and end up getting extra sleepy in the afternoons. I should try eating my biggest meal at breakfast and eat lunch more towards the middle of my day, when possible. Energy levels also contribute to why I tend to choose more relaxing and restful activities during my free-time. Coming from my occupational therapy perspective, I feel that because I spend so much of my day in work/school and self-care (cooking, cleaning, etc) activities, I need these rest/restorative activities for balance and health. What I need to realize is that exercise and eating healthy can be restorative activities that make me feel better and give me more energy! I think this association will come with time and increased, routine engagement in these activities.
Distractions come in many forms. Fatigue and my preference for restful/relaxing activities can be considered a distraction. If my favorite TV show is on (Vampire Diaries, hehe), I feel less strongly about working out. If I am stressing out about school work that needs to be done or an apartment that needs to be cleaned, I am really less likely to get to the gym. Friends and family can also be distracting. If they want to go out to dinner or to a bar/club, I would choose that social interaction over exercise and am more prone to make unhealthier food choices. Distractions aren't considered bad events, but rather, I feel like I should learn how to manage my time and my energy levels so that I can engage in these "distractions" while still making room for exercise and healthy foods.
