Diabetes requires the time and attention of those who suffer from it. Whether you are planning your day, scouring the fridge for food, or getting dressed for the gym, diabetes will play a role in each of these decisions and will have to be taken into account for hundreds more. Although taking your blood sugar and administering insulin typically become rote within a matter of months, it can be difficult to face the challenge of making every decision based on your condition.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep your medical interference low and your daily routine manageable. Three habits, in particular, give you the freedom to go about your day without struggle.

#1. Meal Plan

While the importance of nutrition cannot be understated when talking about diabetes, finding the time and energy to create healthy, whole meals from scratch can be incredibly difficult—particularly if you have a full-time job and family to care for. The best way to combat this difficulty is through planning.

Take one day each week, or a few minutes each day, to plan the meals for the next day or week. You can plan all three meals, or you can plan dinner—the choice is yours. After planning, take half an hour to do some prep work. If you are planning on having grilled vegetables and steamed rice one night, prepare the vegetables (chop, season, and store), so that all you have to do is grab them and toss them in the pan. A few minutes of preparation each day can go a long way in ensuring a healthy diet.

#2. Exercise

Here, too, the importance cannot be emphasized enough: exercise is absolutely pivotal in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercise need not be an extravagant affair, complete with flashy clothes and a gym membership. Exercise can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like.
If you struggle with getting daily exercise in, multitask! While you’re brushing your teeth, do some squats. While you’re preparing dinner, put on some music and dance your heart out. Instead of sitting and munching on some snacks during your favorite TV show, challenge yourself to do lunges or even just jog in place. Exercise doesn’t have to be 30 consecutive minutes of “go, go, go” every day; it just needs to be consistent. 10 minutes of moderate activity 3 times per day will do the job just as well.

#3. Relax

Life is stressful. Jobs, relationships, health issues, and finances are all areas of significant stress for most people. For this reason, taking some time to relax is essential to living a long, healthy life. Relaxation is going to look different on everyone, but there are some things that should be avoided. Television, for instance, can actually be stimulating, as can cell phone use. If you want to kick back and relax, consider reading a book, listening to some soft music, or even just lying down with your eyes closed and listening to your breath. Whatever your preferred method of relaxation is, taking some time to relax and breathe will help with mood, blood pressure, and (ultimately) your health and well-being.