Many guess the busiest time of the year for us is January, yet it's far from it. The fall is by far the time when it seems like the services we provide are in the highest demand.

The slower pace of summer will soon transition to fuller schedules, kids back in school, and simply less downtime. This can be a stressful time of year as we all gear up for the faster-paced seasons ahead, and often times this is when our wellness "takes a back seat."

The holidays and cooler weather will be here before we know it. So why not try to make this fall your fittest? Now is the time to prepare for the busy months ahead. And how great would it feel going into the holiday season the fittest you've ever been?

In my 20 years of experience as a fitness and wellness coach, I've seen the most wellness success when my clients (and myself!) have mastered these three things:

1. Your calendar must align with your values. If wellness is a top priority for you, it should be scheduled on your calendar. Just like your other values, like, say your Faith, you're your prayer, or meditation time, or your friend time, so should your wellness. Your workouts, walks, meditations, meals, and yes, even your bedtime "reverse-alarm" should be scheduled. If they're not, it won't happen! This also means saying "no" to things that are not contributing to your wellness, scheduling buffer times between meetings and appointments, and ensuring your own self-care needs are being met.

2. Reduce your stress. When we reduce our stress, we are better able to respond calmly and intentionally to almost anything. We can think more clearly, be more productive, seek out more nutritious foods, and spend our precious time and energy on the things that matter. There are some simple ways we can practice stress resilience every day. Practice gratefulness, exercise, reduce your screen time, cut your caffeine and alcohol, shrink your to-do list, and find time to pause and BREATHE throughout your day.

3. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This is the most important of the three, and truly it should be a non-negotiable item on your calendar. We need sleep to repair our bodies and minds from the current day and so much more. Our sleep also prepares us for the next day by helping us capture those new thoughts and turn them into actionable tasks. Not only do we need seven to eight hours of sleep: sleep needs to be deep, restful, and uninterrupted. Develop a consistent bedtime routine, make sure your room is quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable, and avoid screens one hour before bed.

I recommend starting small, developing habits slowly, and building on them once they are a part of our daily routine. And remember, wellness is largely about finding what works for you and sticking to it!

We want to help you (and your team!) take charge of your health and wellness and make it FUN. Here are two ways you can get started today: https://alexandriawellness.com/#takecharge. If you're interested in joining our Small Group Concierge program, email us at contact@alexandriawellness.com. We have almost filled our 6am session and are quickly filling our lunchtime group. You'll have a built-in community of others seeking holistic wellness!