Call me lazy (I prefer resourceful), but I looooooove me a good life hack. Cut my laundry folding time in half? Yes please. Got a better way to chop onions? I’m in. This is the kind of stuff I eat up on Instagram Reels, and if it makes my life easier, happier, or more productive…I want to hear it.
I think this is why I’ve grown to love podcasts. I can tune in and learn while driving/cleaning up/walking/etc., and my addiction to episodes dedicated to self-improvement have me constantly trying another new method or idea to make my days the best they can be.
In one of my most recent listens (shout out to Jenna Kutcher of The Goal Digger Podcast), I learned of a phenomenon called “time confetti”. It’s this idea that we have little snippets of time throughout our day- think two to five minutes- and how we use it can really add up and make a big difference.
And it got me thinking…how do I use MY small moments?
So I did a little inventory, and I’m embarrassed to admit that social media scrolling, online window shopping, and email inbox checking were my most common go-to’s with staring at pictures of Sloan as a close fourth.
This miiiiiight be why I’m shocked (but honestly, not surprised) when my phone alerts me to how many hours I spend on it a day, or why I find myself feeling “busy” but not productive. My time confetti is being used, but not to its full potential.
After I realized that I’m wasting precious time on overall meaningless things, I decided that this is another area of life that needed to be “hacked”. And the thought of seconds turned minutes turned hours that I could be applying to my health, wellbeing and goals instead?…well it’s got all of my yaaaaaassss queen vibes goin’.
So with you in mind (and selfishly myself as well, because your girl is on a healing journey of her own), I decided that my time confetti would be dedicated to making small steps to pelvic floor health. And let me tell ya- it’s going really really well!
Every time I stop and think “ooh! here’s another little opportunity!” I give myself a metaphorical pat on the back and a you-go-girl grin of self-pride.
Now I have to warn you…this isn’t easy. Choosing growth and change over habit is freakin’ hard. And I haven’t been perfect. But using just one snippet of time confetti a day…or two…then three…is proving to make a big difference and I want to share a few ways that I’ve been filling that time.
Breathing. I’ve shared over and over again how much breathing can help with pelvic floor health and overall wellness. Stress, poor posture, and a million other things can keep us from taking full diaphragmatic breaths, and this can ultimately effect how our pelvic floor functions. Stopping to take just five breaths- in through the nose with an emphasis on the ribs expanding out and pelvis filling with air- is my go-to with just a few minutes of free time. Bonus if you can close your eyes and put your hands on your ribs to really feel each and every breath.
Posture check. How we hold our bodies plays a huge roll in our pelvic floor strength and control. Too much of an anterior pelvic tilt (think boobs forward, butt stuck out) places our muscles in a lengthened position and can contribute to weakness. Too much of a posterior pelvic tilt (think abs sucked in, butt clenched) puts our muscles in a shorter position and can cause pain and tension. Pausing to find a neutral pelvis literally takes five seconds, but can be huge for muscle function and stamina.
Exercise. Moving your body for pelvic floor health doesn’t require a thirty minute sweat sesh. In fact, doing just one stretch or ten reps of a specific movement can be all you need to start seeing improvement. If pelvic pain is your concern, click here for a few of my favorites. If working towards a stronger core is your goal, these are my top ten exercises. And if you’d like a more supported pelvic floor to help with leakage or prolapse, these hip strengthening exercises are a must.
Gua Sha. I’m a firm believer (and research shows) that a tight jaw can affect the pelvic floor. Massaging your face and neck muscles can be ridiculously impactful if you only have a few minutes to spare. I use this gua sha stone with or without a serum from Primally Pure and it’s a game changer. If you’re not sure how to use it, the stone does come with instructions, or you can watch my video tutorial on how to use it here.
PS- Code MANDM10 will snag you 10% off your entire order at Primally Pure 😉
Legs up the wall. Poor blood and lymph circulation can negatively affect the pelvic floor, and the easiest way to get things moving properly is by putting your legs up the wall. My favorite places to do this are on the bed or couch. Bonus points if you don’t pick up your phone and instead spend that time multitasking with the breathing technique and/or jaw massage I mentioned above.
Pour a glass of water. Muscle function, bladder health, blood flow, and mental clarity are just a few of the hundreds of ways that being properly hydrated can make a difference in pelvic floor health. Stopping to take a sip or refill your go-to vessel for drinking water is as easy as it gets but oh so impactful. Just doing this on repeat once or twice an hour with the goal of drinking half of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water is a game-changer you likely won’t even feel like you had to work for.
Kegels. If you’re in a place where strengthening your pelvic floor is right for you, then stopping to do a handful of pelvic floor contractions can be a great way to spend a spare minute or two. The good news is that you don’t have to do hundreds of kegels a day to make a difference, and it’s more about the quality and timing of your kegels that create a bigger impact. Click here to find out if you’re ready for kegels and how to perform them to see the most change in your pelvic floor function.
If you too are realizing that you’ve got quite a bit of time confetti in your life, then I can’t urge you enough to use even just a fraction of it for your pelvic floor health. As I said before…a life hack that boosts my productivity or cuts my time spent on chores is *chef’s kiss* amazing, but one that improves my health…give it to me now!
Throwing confetti your way, friend!
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.
