I have joined a 30-day Productivity Challenge and wanted to share my journey with you and invite you to join me. Click here – https://30dayproductivity.com – if you want to join me. I think that this could be a lot of fun, especially completing it as a community.

Today’s productivity challenge is to apply the Pareto Principle to one area of our life. Like so many others, I have set an ambition health goal.

Work on improving health by getting fibromyalgia under control, avoiding all gluten products and MSG, growing, eating, and preserving more whole foods personally, and incorporating a consistent work out routine.

Goal No. 5 for 2024

This year is not just about losing a few pounds or hitting the gym more often; it’s about gaining control over my fibromyalgia, making mindful dietary choices, and enhancing my overall wellness. Interestingly, my approach perfectly leveraged the Pareto Principle. Also known as the 80/20 rule, this principle asserts that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. But how does this relate to health and wellness, particularly for someone navigating the challenges of fibromyalgia, dietary restrictions, and lifestyle changes?

For the past year, 80% of my time was clouded with apprehension about making health changes, while only 20% was focused on seeking solutions. It seemed that 80% of my solutions actually made things worse! For example, I tried the Keto diet, with my OB/GYN’s permission following a hysterectomy. I felt great and lost a fair amount of weight. But then suddenly, following a Sunday night playoff game, I collapsed in extreme pain. The pain was so severe, I could not even get off the floor. Hours later, the hospital determine that I was suffering from acute pancreatitis. Apparently, my body could not process the Keto diet and my pancreas was in trouble. A strict three-day fast helped calm my pancreas, but put me in a state of fear of trying anything new!

Fear can make us react by fighting, fleeing, or freezing. I froze. I stopped exercising or trying any new diets, with the exception of removing gluten and avoiding MSG. I gave in and finally started a prescription regimen because the fibromyalgia was preventing me from sleeping. Not getting enough sleep results in difficulties learning, focusing, and reacting. A constant state of exhaustion, already a challenge with fibromyalgia, gets compounded.

But this year I decided I absolutely have to get it under control. I refuse to let fibromyalgia dictate my life and what I can or cannot do. I just didn’t know how to move forward. The Pareto Principle illuminated a path forward for me. Instead of overwhelming myself with drastic changes, I realized that small, strategic actions could lead to significant improvements in my health, thanks to James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits.

Tackling Fibromyalgia Head-On

Fibromyalgia, with its complex symptoms, has been a formidable opponent. But I’m hopeful that small, consistent changes in my routine should disproportionately improve my symptoms. Regular, gentle exercises and stress-reduction techniques, though they will occupy a smaller portion of my day, have the potential to drastically reduce my pain and fatigue.

Dietary Shifts: A Little Goes a Long Way

Avoiding gluten and MSG seemed daunting at first and it is a constant struggle. But recognizing that less than 20% of my diet has the most significant impact, I’ve managed to identify ways to make substantial improvements in my well-being. This approach is less about a complete dietary overhaul and more about making smarter choices with the foods that affect me the most. I have always loved cooking from scratch, but just like with everything else, I froze because so many recipes failed, no matter how I tried to alter them. But then I learned one secret that has been life changing – xanthan gum. Now, it means getting creative in the kitchen. To help keep me motivated, I have started to collect my own gluten-free and MSG-free recipes with Notion.

Growing and Preserving Whole Foods

I have been gardening and preserving my own foods for over a decade now. The decision to continue growing and preserving my own food is another testament to the 80/20 rule. By dedicating a portion of my time to gardening and preservation, I ensure a steady supply of healthy, home-grown produce. This not only contributes significantly to my overall health but also brings me immense joy and satisfaction. It also helps save quite a bit of money when it comes to groceries!

Incorporating a Consistent Workout Routine

Exercise is the hardest and scariest habit for me to form. Will working out today results in increased pain for the next two day? However, by allocating just 20% of my daily time to focused, meaningful physical activity, I can achieve 80% of my fitness goals. This realization has been a game changer, helping me to embrace trying something new as a vital part of my wellness journey.

Leveraging Company Resources

I just discovered yesterday that my employer provides a complete health and fitness program for all of its employees. This program offers workouts, meal planning, newsletters, accountability, and 1:1 support. Joining this program aligns perfectly with my objective and even applies the Pareto Principle. By utilizing these resources, which constitute a smaller fraction of my time through small habits leveraging a wellness strategy, I expect to see substantial improvements in my health.

In conclusion, the Pareto Principle has offered me a fresh perspective on managing my health. By focusing on the critical 20% of my day in diet, exercise, and habit built lifestyle changes, I’m confident that I will achieve 80% of my health and wellness goals. It will be interesting to see where I am at this time next year.

So which of your goals can you apply the Pareto Principle to? While you think about your answer to that question, you’ll have to excuse me, as I measure myself, weigh myself, and submit photos for my baseline to my new personal coaching team.