Ayurveda 101: A Healthier, More Vibrant Life with Ayurveda

I’ve been deep diving into living a healthier and more vibrant life. My desire to live the best life possible led me to Cate Stillman’s Body Thrive course. The course is fully rooted in healthy habits and Ayurvedic principles. I’ve been feeling so great, that I committed to doing her twelve month Yoga Health Coaching course (I’m in month one as of May 2018)! This little blog post is simply meant to be an intro to Ayurveda, an Ayurveda 101 if you will. šŸ˜‰

Ayurveda 101: What is Ayurveda?

ayurveda doshas thriving

Ayurveda is an ancient science that originated during the Vedic era in India, thousands of years ago. When one looks at the Sanskrit roots of the word Ayurveda we see Ayu = life and Veda = science or knowledge, so Ayurveda is literally the science of life. Ayurveda is not just a way to cure disease, it is also a way of life.

Following an Ayurvedic lifestyle leads to overall health, improved immune system function, weight loss/weight maintenance, lowered risk of disease and improved energy.

Ayurveda 101: Ayurveda and Your Whole Being

ayurveda doshas balance

Ayurvedic practitioners take into account the person’s entire being: physical, mental and spiritual. They assess diet, lifestyle, daily habits, imbalances and instances of dis-ease. Ayurvedic practitioners look at yourĀ prakritiĀ (or constitution) and your vikrutiĀ (current state of imbalance) and work on bringing the patient back into balance by balancing the doshas.

The Ayurvedic College defines “a person’s prakritiĀ [as] the inherent balance of the three doshas at the moment of their creation.” To know a person’s constitution is to know their tendencies. And to know your own prakriti is a way to step into your own power and live a vibrant, healthy dis-ease free life.

Your prakriti, or constitution, is determined by the balance (or imbalance) of your doshas. It is common to have one or two dominant doshas. The three doshas are vata, pitta, and kapha. Each of the doshas has very specific tendencies and are identified by different characteristics of body type, energy, digestion, personality and so much more. Want to find out your dosha? I like the Banyan Botanicals quiz (although they do try to sell you their products). Here is a link to the Banyan Botanicals dosha quiz. I’m Kapha-Pitta, and almost NO VATA!!! I’ve been working on balancing my own doshas and it’s been a fun experiment in self-care.

Your vikruti is your current state of imbalance and is not static. Your vikrutiĀ changes at different times of day, seasonally, your stage of life and with lifestyle changes. Would you like to determine your vikruti? Here is a short worksheet from the Ayurveda Institute that you can take.

Once you’ve discovered your prakriti and vikruti, and therefore your dominant dosha(s), you can begin to make lifestyle changes to balance your doshas and thrive. Three easy ways to balance your doshas are to eat a diet to pacify your dominant dosha(s), establish a dinacharya practice, and align your lifestyle with the ayurvedic clock.

Ayurveda 101: Ayurvedic Diet

ayurveda doshas spices

In Ayurveda they have broken down our tastes into six dominant tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Certain tastes increase or decrease the qualities of each dosha.

For example, pitta types typically tend toward hot and oily need to eat foods that are cooling and drying to balance the firey qualities of pitta. They do well with smoothies, fresh and raw foods and should avoid garlic and heating spices. Spicy foods can aggravate pitta and bring it out of balance. Salty, sour, and pungent foods increase pitta, while sweet, bitter and astringent foods pacify pitta.

ayurveda doshas diet

Kapha types who tend toward heaviness will do best with astringent, bitter and pungent foods, while vata types who tend to be light and airy need foods that are warm, rich, and heavy or foods that are characterized by sweet, salty and sour.

You can see here that the Ayurvedic diet is one way to find balance and overall health. Quote by Hippocrates: ā€œLet food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.ā€

I love these two Ayurveda cookbooks and use them weekly:

  1. Ayurveda Cooking for Beginners: An Ayurvedic Cookbook to Balance and Heal by Laura Plumb
  2. The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook: A Seasonal Guide to Eating and Living Well by Kate O’Donnell

When I started incorporating more Ayurvedic foods into my diet my digestion improved and I’ve felt lighter and healthier. It’s been an easy transition (probably because the recipes in Laura and Kate’s books are amazing) and I try to incorporate a few dosha specific meals into my weekly meal plans.

Ayurveda 101: Dinacharya

ayurveda doshas meditation

Another way to balance your doshas is to establish a dinacharya practice. Dinacharya is a daily routine, specifically a morning routine. The Ayurvedic morning routine begins with rising before the sun and involves a handful of self-care practices. For most of us, we don’t have hours to dedicate to our morning practice, but I’ve found it pretty easy to streamline.

For example, I wake early, sit upright in bed and meditate for a few minutes, I get up and scrape my tongue and brush my teeth, evacuate my bowls, hydrate, walk the dogs, and then hop in the shower. After my shower, I use a little oil to massage my body and joints and then I’m ready to go.

Do I do all of the dinacharya practices? No, but I have it down to a habitual flow and it works wonders. The trick with waking early begins with eating an early dinner and going to bed at a decent time the night before. The beauty of following Ayurvedic practices is that we immediately tune in and honor our body’s natural rhythms.

Ayurveda 101: Aligning With The Ayurvedic Clock and Your Physiology

ayurveda-doshas-exercise

Our 24-hour clock and the doshas are also aligned: certain times of day align with certain doshas, which means that certain tasks are better done at certain times of the day. Here is a simple breakdown of the Ayurvedic clock:

  • 10 pm to 2 am Pitta
    • From 10pm-2am it is possible to get a second wind, want to snack, etc. It’s best to head to bed before 10 pm, so that your second wind doesn’t keep you up later than you intended. This is also the time of organ healing and restoration, so it is best to skip that midnight snack.
  • 2 am to 6 am Vata
    • This is the time where energy is most fluid. This is also the time when many people need to get up for a late night bathroom break. It is best to wake up and start your day before 6 am. This time of day is also characterized by active dreaming and is a time of expansion and awe.
  • 6 am-10 am Kapha
    • The morning hours between 6 am and 10 am are characterized by a steady energy and it is the best time of day to get your daily exercise in.
  • 10 am-2 pm Pitta
    • Digestive fire is the strongest during this time, so it’s recommended to eat your largest meal of the day between 10am and 2pm. This is also the time of greatest productivity.
  • 2 pm-6 pm Vata
    • This is the time to work on projects or do seated tasks and it’s a good time to tackle problems as you may feel both alert and creative. It’s best to eat dinner before 6 pm to allow for proper digestion before bed.
  • 6 pm-10 pm Kapha
    • This is a time of slowing down. It’s a great time to spend with friends and family or to get your daily exercise in.

The amazing thing that happened to me was that my energy improved. I’ve had more energy to do the things I want to do. I’m also more in tune with my body and its needs. Do I need to rest? Do I need to eat? What foods make me feel good and what foods make me feel “blah”. I love it!

Over the next few months I will work on sharing more info about Ayurveda, changing your habits and living a healthier life, so if you have questions please ask!

So many blessings to all of you!

Love and Light,

Autumn

Ayurveda doshas

*Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. These earnings help make the maintenance of this blog possible. You can rest assured that I only link to products I know and love.

Time Management for Yoga Instructors

Hey yogis and yoginis,

I know this blog post is focusing on time management for yoga instructors, but these tips will be helpful for anyone who owns a small business, takes appointments, or runs a busy household.

I’m writing this post after going through a year long period of burnout, where I got less done than I should have/could have, mismanaged my time, wasn’t focused, and was struggling in my marriage and my business. I was ready to throw in the towel… and then I just kept sliding down that slippery slope. I needed an energetic shift and I needed it badly ASAP!

As I reflect back on 2017 I can’t help but think about this Paolo Coehlo quote, “Discipline and freedom are not mutually exclusive but mutually dependent because otherwise, youā€™d sink into chaos.” Chaos was my middle name.

I’ve finally made it out the other side! Hallelujah! I’ve been spending the past month reprioritizing, saying exactly what I need and taking charge of not only my time, but my own wellbeing. I’ve given myself more structure, which has allowed for more freedom.

Here are the time management techniques and apps that I’ve used to take control of my life and truly begin to thrive again.

time management for yoga instructors

 

Time Management for Yoga Instructors

1. Establish routines.

Your brain loves routines. Routines become habit. They become automated. Remember learning about samskaras? Not all samskaras are bad, in fact many are what keep us alive and healthy. Establish a morning wake-up routine and a routine for going to bed. Eventually we want all of these time management tips to be automated.

establish-routines-time-management-for-yoga-instructors

2. Stack your classes or appointments.

We’ve all had those days when classes, appointments, and one-on-ones line up poorly and you feel like you can’t get anything done. There are a couple of techniques you can use here. The first technique, schedule your heavy teaching days Monday-Wednesday and leave Thursday and Friday for business tasks. The second technique, schedule your classes back-to-back each day. For example, teach Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 1pm and leave 2pm to 5pm to tackle business tasks.

For me, I like to stack my classes in the afternoon/evening because I’m more creative and inspired in the morning. It’s a great time for me to blog and get stuff done! If you’re struggling to fit in your own yoga practice attend the class right after your class or use the empty studio to practice on your own. You’re already there and you’re already warmed up.

block-your-time-better-time-management

 

3. Block your time.

This tip for time management adds on to tip number two. I advise you to login to Google Calendar and create a new calendar called “Ideal Schedule” and block out your time. Remember to establish routine, so try to keep the days similar… this will make life easier for you because you will know exactly what to expect. Once you know what your ideal schedule looks like begin shifting your classes and commitments, so they align with a schedule you love.

4. Prioritize your tasks.

If you’re a master of the “to-do” list like me, we’re going to switch it up. Yes, you can still have your beloved to-do list, but now it’s going to be prioritized. Number those babies. Prioritizing your tasks is one of the most important tips when it comes to time management for yoga instructors and pretty much any working professional. When you’re prioritizing tasks take into consideration deadlines, the time it’s going to take to complete the task, whether it’s necessary, and whether it makes you money. Also, ask yourself if the task can be automated (especially if it’s a repetitive task).

5. Batch tasks.

Every time you switch gears it takes 11-30 minutes to get back into the groove. It’s very important that you batch your tasks. You don’t need to create a new yoga playlist each week, instead take one day (one creative block) and create them all for the month. Your mind, your body, your energy all get in the zone and you’ll end up creating awesome playlists… instead of scrambling to create a new one each week. Don’t have time to create playlists? Borrow them. Get yourself a Spotify premium account and follow other teachers who have playlists you like.

Instead of coming up with your social media content daily, batch it. Spend one creativity block creating your posts for the next two weeks or month. Create docs with all of your hashtags, common quotes, links etc. and use them. Do all of your advertising prep at the same time. All your writing at the same time. All your emails at the same time.

Learning to batch my tasks was one of the most valuable time management tools I learned this year.

time management schedule breaks

6. Schedule breaks/buffers.

I love to over schedule myself… I don’t recommend it. So here is a chance for you to do as I say, not as I do. Okay, this is actually something I’m working hard on right now. Schedule breaks. Go walk your dog, do a couple of yoga poses, read a passage from an inspiring book. Yes, you do have time. I promise. Work less, to work smarter.

7. Schedule your practice/meditation/exercise.

You are an entrepreneur. And life as an entrepreneur gets crazy, and sometimes you end up going down a rabbit hole you don’t know how to get out of. Yoga, meditation, exercise…. that’s your ladder. Do it. Schedule it or it won’t happen. Some of your best inspiration will come while walking your dogs, resting in a yoga pose, or during that post workout glow. Hard truth: you cannot serve your community if you’re not taking care of yourself!

time management goal setting for yoga instructors

8. Set achievable, measurable goals and break them down into “bite size” pieces.

Gamify your progress. Use apps that track your goal progress. It might sound silly but when a little unicorn with some sparkles floats across your screen because you’ve achieved a task it’s awesome.

9. Say no to classes/events that actually cost your business.

Could your time be spent better working on something else? This is a hard lesson. When you’re first starting out and you don’t have much of a following say yes. Say yes to every opportunity to teach. Once you’re established, stop it. Seriously. You have an immense amount of value to share with the world. Before you commit to an event, get real and ask yourself if this engagement actually benefits you. And definitely don’t give up a day off if the class/event doesn’t meet your specific parameters. Your time is valuable, this is a lesson in healthy boundaries.

10. Class theme-ing and planning.

Okay yoga instructors, are you still planning individual classes with every pose memorized or noted? Can I ask you to stop doing this? You’re making teaching yoga harder than it needs to be. Don’t make life harder. Have your theme, have your peak pose(s), and have your playlist and show up and be present. What do your student’s need most?

I taught a class this morning focusing on lengthening the side body with some beautiful side body postures… all the students (except one) were knew to me because I was subbing. I did chat with most of the students before class to figure out what was going on in their body/life. A gal that has been doing a year of physical therapy for her lower back and hips was in class and she commented afterward about loving the class and being able to check off five of her daily physical therapy exercises. Lesson: it is more important to be knowledgable (always learning) and present than it is to plan a class from beginning to end.

11. Do not overload yourself with tasks and projects.

Have only 1-2 (no more than 3). I’m guilty of this. Likely, if you’re reading this you’re guilty too. I have so many dreams and plans, this is one of the hardest things for me as far as time management as a yoga instructor. I now limit myself to one or two big projects and one little project. What happens when we overload ourselves? We end up suffering. We feel like we’re not getting enough done. No matter how big or small your tasks are, break them down into small achievable to dos.

time management tip minimize distractions cell phone

12. Minimize distractions.

Create a sacred space for work to happen. No pets, no kids and no social media. If it’s possible for your schedule, get your most important work done when you’re distraction free. The kids are at school. The dogs have been walked and fed. And then turn off your social media notifications or use an app that limits your social media time. Skip the scrolling. Use social media for business and don’t get sucked into the endless stream of videos, “news”, and political posts. Not worth it… and really, do these posts add value to your life? Be honest.

13. Schedule “email time” and don’t respond to emails outside this time.

I have been a chronic inbox checker. Out of class… check email. Bored… check email. Waiting in line… check email. Stopped at a red light… check email. Limiting my ability to check email has saved my sanity and honestly I feel so much happier not doing it ALL DAY LONG. And while you’re responding to emails, delete all the garbage… or even better: UNSUBSCRIBE.

organize your workspace

14. Declutter & get organized.

Clutter = time wasted looking for things. I quarterly purge things. I love getting rid of things. Over many months spent traveling abroad I’ve learned to decipher what I need from what I don’t need. Clean out your closet and dresser. Donate what can be donated and toss out the rest. Do you need thirty pairs of underwear? Probably not. Do you need thirty pairs of yoga pants? Even if you’re teaching 15+ classes a week the answer is no.

Organize your computer files, your bookmarks, your playlists, your bookshelves, your closet. Clear your work space. Put seasonal items in storage. Unsubscribe from newsletters you’re not currently reading. If you don’t read it when it shows up in your inbox, chances are you will never read it.

15. Delegate.Ā 

The tasks that take you A LOT of time to finish, should be delegated to someone else. Hire a cleaner for your house. Ask your partner to take over dinner “x” numbers of nights a week. Use a grocery delivery service or similar. Have pet food delivered to your house. Hire a virtual assistant to help with social media, blogging, etc.

time management tip plan ahead

16. Plan ahead.

If you’re working on big projects and you know you have big deadlines or events coming up, plan for it. Start working on them early. Delegate tasks when it’s near. Ask for help.

17. Find out where you’re wasting time.

Rewriting the same emails? Creating playlists? I’ve known for years that I’ve needed to write standard form emails that address common concerns from students and clients and for the longest time I didn’t realize exactly how much time I was wasting writing these emails individually. No more. Repetitive tasks are being automated, so I have more time to spend with my family and friends. If you’re not sure where you’re wasting time, use a time tracking app. You will quickly find out what’s wasting your time, whether it’s social media, distractions, responding to emails throughout the day, etc.

18. Don’t get hung up on unimportant details.

If it’s not important, don’t waste your time and energy on it. Not every task/detail is important. Work on figuring our what is most important to your success and focus your time and energy on that.

19. Form new habits.

Yes, this means change. Change is tough for many of us. Change pushes us out of the comfort of our usual day to day routines. Now is the time to develop new time management habits that serve your wellbeing. Set healthy boundaries. Rework your schedule (that might mean giving up a class or two). Wake up on the first alarm. Get your exercise or yoga in before your first work commitment. Drink 8 oz. of warm water in the morning. Get rid of old habits + automate new habits = success.

20. Automate.

I’ve mentioned automation a few times. It is so important to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your work flow. This is a HUGE time saver!

schedule-yoga-practice

21. Schedule exercise.

Yes, exercise has already been included. Do it. No excuses. Schedule it. Make it happen.

22. Eat simple, healthy meals with minimal prep time.

Plan your meals. If you know you have to teach late, plan an easy meal. Don’t tempt yourself to eat junk food. Feed yourself nourishing meals with simple ingredients. I love to cook, so at least once or twice a week I try out a new, elaborate recipe for dinner. It’s fun for me and not a chore because 1) I love it and 2) all the other meals I’ve prepared have been easy.

Also, this is an opportunity to remind you to use convenience services. Fred Meyers/Krogers has a program called clicklist and they only charge $5 to do your grocery shopping for you. You choose the time to pick it up and voila! It’s ready for you at that time. Numerous cities have organic veggie delivery. Blue Apron might be another easy option for you.

23. Commit to your tasks.

Don’t dilly dally. Commit. Get it done. Ask for help when you need it.

24. Use the tools available to you.

There are so many tools that can help with project management and time management as a yoga instructor. Many of these tools I didn’t even know existed until I started speaking with professionals in other industries. Why we don’t learn these skills in YTT is beyond me.

  1. Project Management: Asana
  2. Calendar: Google Calendar
  3. Automated social media posts: Hootsuite, MeetEdgar, or Buffer.
  4. Email: Mailchimp
  5. Time tracking: Focus Booster and RescueTime
  6. Goals: TimePlanner, Coach.me, Goals On Track & Google Goals
  7. Playlists: Spotify
  8. Email Templates: Google Doc (just copy and paste into your emails
  9. Your cellphone: Turn off notifications for social media apps
  10. Notes and To-Do Lists: Google Keep

Pick a handful of these techniques and tips to master now and as you get more confident in your time management as a yoga instructor add a few new techniques. Eventually, they will become automated and you won’t even have to think about it anymore. Life will be more streamlined, which means more time for the important things that bring you joy.

Anything I missed? Comment below with your favorite time management apps and tips.

Love and Light,

Autumn