If you ever get your hands on my kindle, you’d discover that I have a real and nerdy obsession with business books. I am as fascinated with getting more productivity out of less time at work as I am with getting real results in less time at the gym. I swear I’m going somewhere with this.

I just spent a great weekend in Seattle celebrating the new marriage of two adorable friends – on the flight out, I picked up a quick read called The One Thing (kind of a mashup of The Power of Habit and Outliers – both must-reads if human behavior makes you tick), which has one clear headline throughout the book: don’t make to-do lists with menial tasks that you’re just checking off to get through the day, make a success list that outlines the one thing you could do to make yourself more successful today, this week or this month.

You guys. Lightbulb. This isn’t just applicable to your computer-focused work, it’s applicable to your 60-minutes of time you take each day to focus on your health. Think about the one thing that would make you more successful at staying healthy this week and do it.

For starters:

1. Make a workout schedule and stick to it. Steal a page from Chicago trainer Kate Hiipakka’s book, who uses a planner to jot down notes one where she’ll work out and what she’ll be doing each day. Kate also just started an amazing blog where she shares expert advice at thefourpercent.com
   
2. Plan your meals I don’t mean just dinner. I mean breakfast, lunch and dinner. Think about creating a healthy week of meals, make a plan for each day, get to the grocery store and devote a few hours on Sunday to prep. It’s so worth it on wednesday at 8 pm when instead of asking, “what’s for dinner?” and answering, “Takeout.” You have a plan in place and have already set yourself up for success.
3. Go to bed ready for your morning. Pack your lunch. Lay out your workout clothes. Pick out your clothes for work. When you’re prepared for the day, your chances of getting your workout in will increase dramatically.
4. Plan to challenge yourself at least once. Choose something new and different that will push your limits and follow through, maybe it’s a longer distance than you’ve ever run or a new class you’ve always wanted to try, but take just one risk and you’ll feel great about it.
5. Get a workout buddy. Choose someone to work out with once or twice a week. Check in with each other when you’re not working out together, but work together to keep each other accountable.

As my friends got married in a Pinterest board (seriously, see slide show), I graciously ate my way through the city of Seattle. Don’t get guilty. Get back at it. My one thing this week is to go to bed ready for the morning. What’s yours?