Stressssssssssss! Busy Schedule?

I do not know if stress helped to clog my arteries, but stress probably caused me to be to busy, not eat the right foods and not exercise on a regular schedule. One of my bad habits (I guess it depends on your definition of bad) was to be a very busy person! As I pointed out in yesterdays blog, getting back to my "normal" routine may not be very wise for me, although I really only have 2-3 months of that routine.

For the past 30 some years I have kept a very busy schedule, with teaching & coaching at the "heart" of my time management. When I started in education I was coaching 2 sports, football & track, while teaching. And, I am also an earlier riser - ask my wife Sue. So a normal day would be:

5:30 AM - wake up, shower, & get to school
6:30 AM - get to school about an hour before the kids to get my work done - grading tests, preparing lessons, and any other paperwork.
6:30 AM - 3:00 PM at school
3:00 PM - 6:30 PM - coaching. In the early years I was running & working out with the kids. In my twenties, I would run up front & lead the athletes. In my thirties, I would run in the middle and keep an eye on the front & back of the pack. And in my forties, I would run in the back to make sure no one would get lost! And in my fifties, well you know, I would tell the kids where to run.
6:30 - 11:00 - this changed through the years - meetings at church, at school, midget sports, helping with midget sports, taking courses for my masters, and many other activities.

Even in the summer I was busy (the public does not always see this part of teachers) To supplement my income I spent many years painting homes & rentals (and falling off ladders). Taking summer courses, helping with the boys and their midget sports (many a weekend at the ball field for baseball tournaments), and even a little time for vacations!

So, staying maybe too busy, and not focusing on my own health, may have something to do with my clogged arteries. My first blood test, when I was about 48-50, showed my cholesterol at 300! Not good. With meds, exercise, and diet, I controlled the cholesterol over the last ten years, but how much of my arteries were clogged in the days of McDonals 1/4 ponders, pizza with extra cheese, and Tastycakes for breakfast?

So, for the next 30 years, one of my goals will be to "smell the roses"! That means saying NO to things that will continue bad habits - eating & exercise. Dedicate time each day to exercise & diet control!

Great Stress Website:
American Institute for Stress