Episode 331: You Don’t Need Motivation, You Need Systems

Intro:

Welcome to The Healthy Catholic moms podcast where we make moving and nourishing our bodies the priority so that we not only fulfill our vocations, but excel in our callings. I’m Brittany Pearson, a Catholic wife, mom, personal trainer, and I’m here to help you build healthy habits that actually fit your life. I am here to teach you how to get the results that you want and maintain the results that you want without spending hours at the gym, or meal prepping all weekend long. I understand I am right here with you getting my workouts done in the nooks and crannies of time, looking up recipes, while nursing babies and trying to prioritize my own health amidst everything else going on. But I have really good news for you, you can get the results you want. In less time without doing hours of cardio and restrictive dieting. I am going to teach you how to use strength training and eating in a macro balanced way to get you feeling so good and your skin full of energy and strong to carry out your life. Okay, on this podcast, we’ll delve into how to lose fat in a simple, sustainable way. What your workouts and nutrition should look like during different seasons of life like during pregnancy and postpartum times. We’ll also discuss healthy quick meals and how to get them on the table make food that kids will actually want to eat. Mom hacks for making your day run more smoothly and so much more. All the while with continuous encouragement to stay the course and live with discipline. This is a place where we’re striving to steward our bodies well in order to joyfully serve. I am so happy you’re here. Let’s dive in

Main Episode:

Hello, my friends welcome to today’s podcast. Welcome to this episode. Thank you so much for being here and I hope your August has been going really well. I looked at the date and was like oh my word halfway just about through August if you are listening to this when this episode comes out so I hope you’re having a wonderful time whether your kids are going back to school now or you’re starting to start school now if you homeschool or if you still got some more weeks of summer these are my favorite weeks like this August and September are just have become like my favorite months. It used to be more June July. So so excited for summer and all of that. I know it depends where you’re at in the world. But I love that late summer feeling and yeah, that early September to where it’s still so nice out typically I feel like we forget about I often forget about I’m like oh September’s fall, it’s really usually not weather wise, it’s still really nice for a long time. So I hope you’re enjoying again, some vitamin D and all that good stuff.

Today, we are going to talk about systems and how it’s so much more important to have systems than to be motivated. And that is just the cold hard truth. Like we like motivation is such a hype thing. Like I just have to be motivated. I gotta motivate myself. And yes, and there’s still ways that we can and I have episodes for you on that if you scroll back on ways to you know, motivate yourself in the moment. But more than that, deeper than that we need systems because you can only what are you going to hype yourself up every single day like, Yes, I’m gonna go wash the silverware again, that’s what I’m always talking about. Because we don’t have a dishwasher like, No, I’m not gonna motivate myself every day. I’m just gonna wash the silverware after mealtimes right? Before I do, I just want to tell you I’m so sorry, if you’ve listened to a million of these August podcast episodes, and you’ve heard it so much just skip forward a little bit. But if you haven’t, I want to tell you so you have a chance to win a $25 amazon gift card that I’m doing a podcast review giveaway for the month of August. So all you have to do is literally review the podcast and I need to know that you did it. So here’s the steps to enter number one wherever you listen to this podcast, give it a star rating and if possible a written review number to screenshot it number three, send me your screenshot Brittany, healthy Catholic moms.com Then you are entered and I at the end of August. I’m gonna give it right up until August 31. I will draw winner using an online random generator name generator that I use for my challengers whatnot. And I will announce the winner on the podcast a couple episodes into September. I will also email the winner, all that good stuff. So thank you so much. I appreciate it. And I’m so sorry if you’re hearing this all the time tell a friend to they can maybe you don’t want them to because maybe you want another chance to win.

Alright, so motivation, like I mentioned is very fleeting, right? It’s a feeling it’s an it’s emotionally driven. I wouldn’t say it’s an emotion but it’s definitely emotionally driven right like I feel good today. I’m excited I’m this happens a lot for a lot of my clients I hear about when they’ve been seeing some progress like it’s hard to get yourself if you’re starting from ground zero and you don’t feel strong and you don’t feel like you have endurance and you don’t feel lean or any of those things and everything’s really hard to when you start, it’s very difficult to get yourself to be excited to do your next workout. And to push forward and things like that. It’s usually when we get a little bit of positive feedback, when we feel our genes be a little bit looser, when we feel a little more energetic, when we feel a little stronger on pick up those weights, then it’s like, oh, I’m motivated, because I’m motivated by the results. I’m motivated by the progress. That can’t always happen. And that’s not always how life is like back to the cleaning my floors thing, or just, you know, anything housework I said Silver poor, but like, yeah, I gotta clean my kitchen floors, I’m not going to be motivated by like, yes, maybe that I’m motivated for the result of having a sparkling floor that smells good and whatever. But I also know the reality of that I have three children, and it’s going to be a mess in a matter of the next 20 minutes or so. Right? If I’m doing it at naptime, like, their quiet time, right after that it’s getting applesauce on and again, all that stuff. So we just can’t rely on motivation. And like I said, it’s great sometimes, you know, I mentioned it as a tip on my running episode too. And we talked about running like music is highly motivating music can also be highly motivating in the home, like for your not just your workouts, but I like to put on specific music when I clean and specific music when I’m going to work, sit down and create exercise programs, things like that. Like, there’s different tools we can use. But beyond that, we really do need systems. And I saw this big time when COVID hit and people who were going to the gym or going to classes and things like that, like who who knew what they were motivated by that was taken away temporarily. Right? And for a long time for a lot of us. So like, Okay, I know I’m motivated by a passionate instructor and I know I’m motivated by everyone sweating in the room together and I know I’m motivated by music. Well, when all that away, like Are you still going to work out? When the chips are down? Like what happens? Can you force yourself to get it done? You know, that’s when you need to be flexible and pivot and find a new way to be motivated quote unquote. But beyond that you need a system like your system before was going to the gym taking group classes that was gone. So what’s your new system? Right? I am such a believer in systems not just routines, but like a whole little system that works together. For I would suggest how you work out how you meal plan how you clean your home, morning systems or night systems, I guess you could say to throw in the word routine there if you feel more comfortable that your morning routine or your night routine. I’m not talking about like, morning routine, I wake up and I wash my face and I do my jade roller and I put on my under eye patches. I don’t do any of these things. I’m just you should. But no like and then I meditate and then I do my cold plunge and then I did it. I’m not talking about that kind of morning routine. I’m talking about like, what you need to do to get yourself and your kids out the door if it’s you and you leave or what you need to do to set yourself and your kids up for a good homeschool day or whatever that looks like for you. Same thing with night routine.
night routine so big it affects obviously how your morning starts like do you make sure all the dishes are done before you go to bed? Do you make sure the house is reasonably picked up for you go to bed and I’m not just talking about you. Mom doesn’t have to do it. All I’m saying like everyone in your household are their routines and systems that people know. That’s the really good and nice thing about a system or routine is other people should know about it so that they can do it. When you’re not there. Like there was a funny meme that went around a bit ago quite a bit ago. It was like, well, vulgar. So I didn’t share it but it was I’ll do it without the expletive said walking around my house in the morning like who the heck closed last night. And I laughed so hard because my first job ever besides babysitting and nannying was at Tim Hortons and you know you have your nightly cleaning checklist, you have your morning cleaning checklist, you have the baking checklist and all these things and and that works for businesses, so many different businesses, restaurants, things like that. Everyone needs to be on the same page like there is an opening and there’s a closing and there’s something to give things a sense of order. So if you’ve been feeling stressed out and like things are just chaos, you’re like I’m doing a lot of things I’m spinning a lot of plates I always feel busy but it’s not like some sort of happening look at having like a repeatable system that then also you can pass on to others now I’m gonna go through three little tips that I think would help get you started in this area I’ve said before I’m obviously not a systems or routines or Cleaning Hack, whatever like guru that is not my line of work here. However, I can tell you how to lose fat. And I do and I tell you how to take care of your bodies and all that good stuff. But and hopefully your overall health and yada yada, but you can find other resources for that. as podcasts, whatever, find what works for you, and who motivates you and speaks to you. The biggest thing for me in the past just couple of years, like I think my oldest is six, so that first like year or two of having just a baby, and then a little toddler, and then I, we had our second son when he was two and a half, and those like first three to four years was more about me figuring out what the heck I was doing in general, like, what days do I clean? How do I do things like I didn’t have a place for most things was just all willy nilly, like, yeah, I stick batteries in that drawer. But sometimes they’re in the other drawer. And sometimes they’re upstairs. Sometimes they’re in the basement on the workbench, like it just a lot of figuring out those areas, I think personally and then the past couple years, like I don’t know for so then when he was 14, now like six, it’s been more about having systems that I can express to other people and that other people can have going when I’m not home. So that was big when I was training outside of the home and doing group classes outside of the home. And then also doing things here for at the time is more fit my life to the fullest was by brand before healthy Catholic moms, but all that stuff. And it was like if I was out of the picture here, the other things didn’t get done. And that was not my husband’s fault. It was not like, oh, Mom’s gone and the dishes don’t get done. It was like things would be maybe done. But not. There was no like cohesion to it or not thoroughly or whatever, like, okay, dinner was serve. But the kitchen floor wasn’t swept like the laundry was left in the dryer because I didn’t tell anyone it was there like there was just a lot more chaos because I didn’t communicate things I didn’t like share my routines with anyone that kind of thing. So truly, this last year, my husband, we’re talking about it the other day, like things have just seemed to run so much more smoothly. And it’s not like we’ve been able to delegate a ton of things, our oldest is only six. So he has a couple chores. Three year old has a couple chores. You know, it’s mostly them taking care of their own stuff. And then like setting up the table, like setting the table for dinner, clearing the table, folding laundry, they fold towels, like that kind of stuff. But obviously the bulk of it is up to us not like a lot of things have not changed is my point. And just being able to have, like kind of that checklist that everybody knows that like if we’re not you don’t have to if this makes you really rise we never actually had this is a tip we’re gonna share. But we didn’t actually do this. So I’ll get through the tips. I think now it’ll make more sense. Number one, if you’re just thinking overall, like, okay, how am I going to actually implement any systems you just mentioned working out meal planning and cleaning your home. First of all, I am going to walk through some of these ideas throughout the rest of the month. But I would number one, start with your biggest pain point. Like if everyone is a mad dash out the door in the mornings, and it’s not peaceful. And it’s the opposite of what you want people forget things chores aren’t done whatever. Start with having a morning system like this is what we do in the mornings. Or if cleaning is just a disaster and you don’t know when you’re cleaning things are what like, start with having a cleaning system, I would not try to overhaul everything at once, it’s probably gonna make yourself and everyone else crazy. But I would start with what is stressing you out the most right now. And then number two, Tip Two is to talk to your spouse about it. Talk with your spouse about it. What do you think like, what’s your take on this whatnot? That was, like I said, the piece that we put together in the last two years. And then step three is to keep it visual until everyone has it down. So this is what I mentioned. We really did not do I did not ever print out a checklist that said evening routine like number one, do the dishes number two, sweep the floor number three, everyone brushed you like all of that. But I think it was just all more verbal and kind of passed down more like my husband just noticed what I was doing and realize kind of what we do in our evening routine. Honestly, that was just another good pat on the back to him to like, be observant and figure out like what it was I was doing. It’s just kind of like mom makes the magic happen, but never told anyone how to do it when she’s gone. And now, like whoever’s basically, quote unquote, closing down the home and stuff knows how to do that. But we will need to use checklists and or some kind of visual tool. It’s essentially a checklist, whatever works for family, but when other kids are doing it, you know, and I’m sure some of you are listening to this with older kids thinking like yeah, I remember teaching. My kids had to do the dishes and it was like, they just did the dishes and that was it. You got to put on there like wipe down the counters. Run the dishwasher if it’s full if you have a dishwasher like make sure you do the pans uh, let them soak for seven days, like I’ll sweep the floor and then the kitchens done and closed. Whatever the task is until it’s you know, been ironed out. And so that’s it is funny is this is how life works. Right? I know like you guys are right there with me that as soon as we got things flowing On our end, we’re going to be bringing more people into it. And we are going to need to then teach them the way and teach them the system and stuff. But I think it’s just such a help to not like it is a complete one at what I walk into. Now, if I leave, I typically leave one night a week or one Saturday morning or something week to go. Bulk plan, like make some podcasts outlines, catch up on emails for the JC greatest group, whatever. And when I walked back in, and the essential oil diffusers going and things are swept, and laundry is done. Like we know the laundry days, we everyone knows Thursday sheet day like again, I didn’t really write that anywhere. It was just like, Okay, we stripped the beds on. It used to be Fridays, if you’re an old listener of the podcast, I’m sure I mentioned it. But we adapted because we realize our Fridays are actually busy, we usually have some kind of play date or st class or whatever. So we switched it up to Thursdays but you know, that kind of thing. And it’s just better all the way around. So if first you you are lacking systems, you can’t expect people to be mind reader’s because you don’t even really have a system that was me the first couple years. Then once you kind of have your system and it’s working well make sure that people know it and can replicate it. So use visuals start with what’s really, you know, bothering you and work through it as a family or at least as a couple. If you know your kids aren’t old enough to pitch in too much yet. So this is huge. Because the I get this all the time. Like how are you motivated to work out? How are you motivated to make dinner every night? I’m not. I just planned ahead. Right? I plan my workouts and I do them. I literally look at the week No, I have to get three strength trainings in bare minimum. I am pregnant right now. And I that is the that is where I set the bar for pregnancy is three to four strength workouts, multiple walks in there, I would walk every day if I could, but that just doesn’t fit my schedule, my husband’s work schedule, all that stuff. So you know, whatever. But I know I’m getting three strengthen. It’s not going to be two I want to do strength today. Do I feel good today? It’s no I do. I do three strength a week. So I’m doing that like that’s a system. And it’s four to five when I’m not pregnant, ideally, ideally. Alright, so I hope this is helpful. Somebody I have helped us his resource in the past is Chelsea Joe has a podcast called systemize your life. And she goes through some really good systems for the home and you just have to find what works for you. There’s some things that I’ve heard on hers that that I’ve been able to tweak and change to make it fit our family and our life. And that’s what it’s about. So, thank you so much for listening today. And I hope that this was helpful to you. Our next episode, we’re going to talk about food pairings to help you avoid energy crashes and mood swings. So stepping away a little bit from systems of motivation and really tangible really tactical eat this paired with this. Don’t just do this. And it’s going to give you all day energy and help you fight those sharp spikes and declines. All right, so stay tuned for that. And until then have a great rest of your day.

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