Ep 202 Conversation with Tanya Miszko on Scheduling Self Care, Priorities & Doing Life Your Way
One of my goals this year has been to elevate the voices of strong powerful women – and in this episode I am sharing a recent conversation with Tanya Miszko, the founder of 30 Minutes of Everything.
We talked about the importance of self care, women’s health, priorities, and creating your life your way. Join me today as a reminder of the importance in deciding what success looks like for you, how you want to spend your time, and some easy tips to get started.
In This Episode:
- Movement for stress reduction
- Self care in order to help others around you
- Having options and deciding what works for you in life
- Making your life a priority
- Scheduling personal time that works for you in relation to work
- Connect with Tanya – https://30minutesofeverything.com
- FB/IG – @30minutesofeverything
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Episode Transcript:
(Transcribed with OtterAi and minimal edits)
You are listening to the richer time podcast and I’m your host certified life coach Michelle Arnold Bourque. In today’s episode, I’m sharing a recent conversation with Tanya Misko, where we discussed self care and establishing priorities.
0:16 Welcome to the richer time podcast. The podcasts were busy professionals like you get the practical solutions and support you need to gain control of your schedule so you can strive to be the best in your career, but without the stress and overwhelm. If you’re looking to increase your energy and decrease your stress, you are in the right place.
0:40 Hello, hello. Hello, welcome back to the podcast friends, I have a treat for you. Now, you know, one of my goals here has been to really begin elevating more of the voices of strong, powerful women and in this episode, I have one more example for you because today I am sharing a recent conversation with Tanya Misko, the founder of 30 minutes of everything exercise program. Now, I’ll give you a little background. Tanya is a self proclaimed Peri menopausal Dougie mama, you know I love a doggy mama who loves to empower people to live their best life. And of course, I love anyone who’s looking to empower others. She says she loves to laugh, share stories listen and coach and feels fortunate to live her passion every day as a strength coach. She recently shut down her studio in New York and moved her business online which means anyone anywhere can experience her 30 minutes of everything program. Now listen to all of her background stats. She has her bachelor’s degree in health and fitness. She has her master’s degree in both exercise physiology and acupuncture. She has her doctorate in exercise science and gerontology. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the national strength and conditioning associates. She is DVR T restoration certified DVR at level one instructor certified. l i f t certified. She has been published in peer reviewed journals has authored and co authored chapters and field related textbooks, and is precision nutrition level one nutrition coach. So to say she knows a thing or two is quite an understatement. She has 25 years of experience. And she has a whole lot of expertise to offer you with videos on demand live zoom group classes and on line programming. And what I love maybe even more than all of that is what she offers in this conversation. We talked about the importance of self care, women’s health priorities, and creating your life your way. So without further ado, let’s get to the conversation.
Well, thank you so much for being here. Let’s just start with you introducing yourself telling everyone a little bit about who you are, who you help, and all of the goodness that used to share all the goodness. All right, I am Tanya, I am a functional strength coach. I have been in this fitness industry. Well, I’m 49. So I have been in this industry for almost 30 years. Wow. I absolutely love it. It is a field that changes often. So I’m always learning keeping up with research, you know, you Unknown Speaker 3:41 know better you do better. So, my whole fitness.
3:47 I don’t know, philosophy has changed over the years and evolved as more research has come out. But I have worked with primarily I’m going to say middle aged women only because that’s what’s kind of gravitated towards me and my program. But it’s open to all adults. And I work on keeping people getting and keeping people healthy. So it’s not about a look. But it’s about getting you in the right frame of mind, keeping your body healthy, and helping you do life better. What ever that is to each person because it’s different for each person. I was just gonna say that healthy as a definition is probably different for everyone. Right? Yeah. And I love your program. So it’s called 30 minutes of everything can vary. A little bit about that. Yeah. 30 minutes of everything. So I’ve had a journey like up and down the East Coast. And I’ve worked I’ve worked as a private like personal trainer, and commercial gyms. I’ve done bodybuilding competitions. I’ve worked with Deewan athletes, different athletic teams. I’ve done research for the federal government taught at a university. So the gamut of what I’ve done fitness related has been huge
5:00 And one thing I have never done is taught group fitness classes. Like, let’s just say back in the 80s, like an aerobics class.
5:09 Never have I done that. Wow. And I was in Boston, before I moved back to New York. And going from Boston, which was a higher demographic price point to where I was living and starting up my 30 minutes of everything program in my studio. It was a more of a rural community. So I wanted exercise to be affordable and doable for everybody, not just people who had disposable income. So I had a high volume, low cost exercise program. And it was a group training. So for me, this was my first time training more than like three people at a time.
5:50 And it is a progressive strength training program, eight weeks long, and progressive, meaning that you have to participate from week one to week eight, over the course of the eight weeks, it gets progressively harder based upon your fitness level, and based upon how you are progressing or how you are mastering the form. So let’s just say in one class, I can have a beginner intermediate and an advanced person all doing the same movement, a squat, but I can have somebody doing just a bodyweight squat. I can have someone doing a plyometric jump squat, I can have somebody doing a kettlebell goblet squat. So every every body that is in there doing the workout gets a movement that is appropriate for their fitness level, and whatever they have going on in their day going on in their body. But they’re all doing the same movement pattern. So, um, I also funny, it started out my business name at the time was prescriptive health, and it was stuff it was called prescriptive health bootcamp. But I quickly found out that bootcamp scares some people. It’s intimidating, and people were like, No, I need to get in shape before I go take that. No, that’s not what my program is for. I’m there to help you through all those phases, not when you’re already feeling great. So let’s just get you started. So I was trying to figure out a name. And in one of the classes, we were talking about it and one lady’s like, well, 30 minutes you strength, 30 minutes of flexibility, 30 minutes of cardio, and one lady goes, how about 30 minutes of everything. It’s great to know what you’re right. Unknown Speaker 7:30 It stopped 30 minutes of everything. And oh, great. It’s a half hour based program. Because I also feel like time is a boundary for people to exercise where I was in the country, you know, your closest gym to exercise was a half hour away. So it’s a limiter.
And I know even for myself, and I love this field, and I will always exercise all the time. But if I have to drive a half hour to go to the studio, it’s not going to do it. So and some people have super busy schedules, and I understand. And the research has changed so much. And it has proven that you don’t need an hour or two in the gym, you need your literally 20 minutes, 25 minutes of concentrated exercise. So that’s what we do. I think that’s awesome. Because I think there’s so many women that tell themselves, they can’t do the exercise a few things, you said that it doesn’t have to look like, what it looks like for everybody else. Like you get to make it what works for you. And it doesn’t have to be that long. Like what do you tell women who say exactly what you’re saying, like, I’m not going to have the time for that. So 30 minutes is a TV show.
8:49 If you have time to watch a TV show, you have time to come to my studio. The hardest part, I feel like if any exercise is walking through the door, getting there. Once you’re there, it’s fine. So I do know that some people, it is easier for them to do it in the morning before they get started, myself included. Some people on their way home, they will stop do it and then go home because once they get home, they’re not coming back out. So each person has to find out what is the driver that’s going to work for them? What’s going to get them to stop.
9:27 And 30 minutes, we all if we actually look at our schedule, we have 30 minutes 100% And I think what you’re talking about you had mentioned boundaries with time. And I think that’s maybe saying no to other things. Like you mentioned the TV show and number two prioritizing it. Right, right. You’re not going to find the time you actually have to make the time. Yes. Yeah. And I think sometimes women don’t always feel like that’s important enough or they don’t think that you know self care is selfish. But can you talk a little bit maybe
10:00 About either in your experience or research and what that looks like, as far as using exercise to help with stress.
10:09 Exercise is a great stress reliever, you know, and it doesn’t have to be all out, you know, exercise, you just have to move your body. So, um, I’ve had several people who have come into the studio, and they come in in a bad mood.
10:27 You can come in however you want. But every person after exercise, you’re always going to leave feeling better. And they’ve said, you know, I came in cranky, I really didn’t want to be here today. But I feel so much better, I can now go home to my family, you know, so it’s a way to physically get out your stuff. But also, you can also get the stuff that’s in your head out, because you can zone out. I’m coaching in the program. So I’m telling you what you need to do. You have to think yes, but you don’t have to think about all the things you have to do. You just have to focus on doing that squat properly, or that hinge, all the other stuff that’s going on in your world for 30 minutes, it goes away. It’s like a little mind break. Yes, and I hope people really just heard what you said, you leave, usually better feeling than when you arrive, which in turn, allows you to show up to your family, friends, the other aspects of your life in a way that is more useful. Right? Right. 100% and your family gets the better you not the one that’s tired and cranky at the end of the day or had a bad day with work. They get the really you.
11:44 And I love what you said about just getting in the door, I like to talk about minimum baseline. So for me, I’m also I agree a morning person, I literally sleep in my workout clothes. So there’s no, there’s no excuse, like I get out of bed and I just go downstairs like, people think about what that looks like for them. I think it’s so important. Yeah, and for everyone, again, it’s gonna be different. So um, I know for me, personally, I could have a four hour block in my day. But something will always come up. So I get up at 530. My day doesn’t start until 830. But I give myself time to get it done in the morning. People you’d like you said earlier, you have to make it a priority, you have to schedule it, I also know that actually putting it on the calendar does help. I feel like if people try it, get up a little earlier, have your coffee, get your brain settled and do your exercise, whatever it is an online class or going somewhere. Shower, start your day go to work. See how you actually physically feel mentally feel emotionally how your day goes. The benefits do pay off. So whether it’s an early morning or right after working, just got to find that time that works for you. 100% I think if you hadn’t had the time that works for you, I was just talking to a couple of women at a meeting. And they were like, You’re crazy. You get up so early to work out. But because for them, they like to work out at the end of the day shower and helps them to settle down. It gets me going I love it.
13:17 I remember there’s a funny story with a guy I used to work with. And he would be like, Did you not get your workout in today? And like what do you mean? I’m cranky, I can admit I am cranky if I do not work out? Yes.
13:32 And then I love what you said about a few things, how you kind of switched all of what you knew as your experience in the past. Like, it’s not, like you just said I have never done the group workout stuff. So I think it’s too late. That was back in the 80s like being willing to try new things. And to keep going. You have to you have to and I mean, I’m sure many other fields evolve, but like this fitness industry,
14:02 it changes often I used to do research and Unknown Speaker 14:07 a research crop Unknown Speaker 14:09 research project happens two years a year and a half to two years later is when it gets published. So when it comes mainstream, it’s already we’re already behind the eight ball when when that article gets published. So staying up with the research is letting you know that how what they’re finding out.
14:29 You have to do continuing ed if you don’t do continuing it, you are doing your clients a disservice yourself the field is not stagnant. It is continuing to change evolve and you have to learn and grow with it. So does that mean I have to give up my leg warmers
14:49 I am not up on the fashion world. I can tell you that.
14:54 No, that’s great.
14:57 We were also talking before we started the recording part
15:00 Do this on the flip side. So yes, we want to work out and get an I completely agree, I think you must put it on your schedule and put it on your calendar as if it’s a meeting with your boss, right? Because it’s important to give your brain that reminder that you are important. But we also were talking about the idea of slowing down. And I think there are so many high achieving women who listen to this that busy is the badge of honor. And that just keep on going, going going. So can you talk a little bit about the benefits, maybe in regards to even stress reduction, of slowing down. Unknown Speaker 15:35 Slowing down is my life lesson
15:38 from going down is so important. And I am a doer and a goer.
15:46 Slowing down is good for your brain, your body. I mean, everything, we’re always used to moving at such a fast pace. And, you know, sometimes evaluating our selves based upon our productivity, or what we’re checking off how much we’re checking off. And that there’s a human in this body, there’s a soul in this body that needs nourishment, it needs time to rest, it needs downtime, to not have to think to not have to do to just be and as much as I will schedule exercise, I’m also learning that it is equally as important to schedule, do nothing time. And I highlight that on my calendar. There are times where you have to put your phone away, like, turn it off, hide it, whatever you want to do, just to give your brain and your nervous system a break from all that sensory input,
16:46 hormone balance, stress reduction.
16:50 All of that can be emotions can be affected by always doing doing doing, slowing down just gives your whole being time to recharge and reset. There are nights like when I come I just recently came home from this work meeting and I sat down and I could just feel like my body tingling, like all of the energy, it just felt like was trying too much. Yeah, yeah, I wish that there would be like some way we could just like download everything that is in our brain. So it doesn’t keep us up sometimes thinking about all the stuff that’s going on, I would want to make sure that I have that on a USB drive. That’s just mine. Definitely
17:31 not for public release.
17:36 That is so great. I also see you have some information about like visualization future stealth, like can you I think that that kind of thinking is so much fun. And in in respect to your eye, your discussion about calming down or the nervous system and slowing down. I think that also allows us the time to think about what we want our future to look like. I think when we’re going going going doing doing doing. I remember when my coach asked me like, What do you want to do? Michelle? I thought that was the craziest question ever.
18:09 Can you speak a little to that? Sure. I’m thinking about like future, I just because of who I am, and I’m very emotional feelings based. So when I think about future, it’s what I want more or less up, I want less stress, more times where I laugh so hard that my eyes tear, more time to dig into my community. I don’t ever like have a vision of okay, so I want my building to look like this. And my data look like this. For me. It’s all emotion based. But of course that can all correlate and circle back around to what my day would look like. Because this is what a day would look like where you have less stress, you have more time to be in the community. Figuring out what you want for your future. And as importantly, what you don’t want can help you
19:08 create the life that you want. So back in New York, I was working seven days a week for 11 years. And not that it gets tiring. But I have no other time to dig into my community, do community events.
19:28 go out for dinner with a friend go to you know, my niece’s birthday party? Because I’m always doing and always working. So thinking I don’t want to work seven days a week for the next half of my life.
19:44 It took a pandemic to slow me down. I think many people Yes, yep. But that helped me reprioritize this is what I want in the future. And I think it’s important especially as women because we’re always 20:00 going going going to think about, what do you want? How do you want relationships to look like? 20:07 And the relationship with yourself?
20:11 Yes, I think that’s the biggest relationship that we need to work on. And it’s very much overlooked. 20:19 And I think when we do that work, like you’re talking about, what is it that I do want? What is it that I don’t want and not look to the external sources for that answer? That’s when we really like that’s when it gets good. That’s when you start creating the life you want. Yeah, and understanding that it’s a process. And it’s not always going to be a fun, joyful process, there are things that maybe you’re gonna have to dig up to resolve, personally deep. And then you can move forward. But if we don’t ever, like dig deep in ourselves and resolve those, we’re not going to be able to move forward, we’re going to be stuck.
20:56 And we keep just repeating the same patterns, right. And it’s comfortable. I mean, that’s what our brain wants, it likes to stay safe and comfortable. And so doing this work is is change. And that is to your point, not always comfortable. But once you get through it. Right, right. Yeah, that’s there is there is a shining light on the other side. You just have to get through there. Just going. Yeah, you got to do the work. Yeah. And I think what you’re talking about with the emotions and the feeling, I like to always think when I’m looking at future, like, I might have an idea, but I also like to have the caveat. It’s this or something better. Like I do believe it’s not just me doing this work, right? Yeah. So if I can get in that feeling, then what is meant to be sounds a little woowoo. But I do believe that will, you know, if I’m not stuck on, like you said that building or that something? It might be even better? I agree. 100% And that, that you need courage, and to be brave, and to be open to something better? A growth mindset? Yes, absolutely. And now you also do acupuncture. Right. Can you talk a little bit about how you see that helping women and a little bit about that research? Oh, yeah, acupuncture is incredible. Unknown Speaker 22:14 It’s, I went to acupuncture school, never having had acupuncture done. Um, but I am a research person. So I did all the research, studying acupuncture before I went to school. And you know, as a culture, the Asian culture lives longer than we do. They have less chronic conditions, and we do acupuncture is standard care. So yes, there are other factors in their lifestyle, but what they’re doing is working. Acupuncture has been around for centuries as a healing medicine. So I went to acupuncture school, and it was literally like, Whoa, I can feel this. And it’s all it is energy medicine. Just like we have blood and veins running through our veins, you have energy running alongside those beings. And you don’t know how off balance or in disharmony the body is if you feel good, until you start poking around or looking at energies and you’re like, Whoa, why does that hurt? That shouldn’t work. There’s nothing wrong.
23:23 I’m gonna say in a general statement, acupuncture helps rebalance the energies in your body. There’s always something that is off so it works to rebalance that you can go see an acupuncturist for most health conditions, GYN issues, stress, metabolic disorders, gi disorders, orthopedic problems, pain, nausea, pregnancy. I mean, a lot of different conditions. I did it for fertility, and I we don’t have kids, but it was amazing for my headaches. And headaches. Yeah. And and that’s like a Yeah. So you whenever there is pain, headache, being a pain, there’s a blockage. That means the energy is not moving. So it acupuncture like Drano, and a clogged drain, can function to open up that pathway. So fixing the headaches, that’s your sidebar. A lot of ways we go with that.
24:23 Great, this has been so fabulous. Have we missed anything? Is there something that you think that we’ve missed to help these women who, again, I think the importance of this, what you’ve talked about is prioritizing yourself, knowing that it’s just just get started, take one step and it doesn’t have to look like it does for everybody else. And to really make it a point to put it on your schedule. And think about what your future looks like. So what is it that you need to do today in order to get to that, and self care, believe in self care believe. You’ve that you’re worthy of self care. And a lot of women in general put it on the backburner because of many different reasons. But you have to take care of yourself. And I guess if there’s anything that I can say is just believe that you’re important that your health sanity you a whole being matters and deserves your care and love. And however that looks for you, is how you should seek it out.
25:31 That I think that is so great. And as you were saying that it also just reminded me, I think oftentimes, we as women think that self care, again, is maybe selfish, or if we take the time, then we’re taking from somebody else and they’re suffering, because that’s what we often do to ourself, right? That’s not the case. Right now. We have to fuel keep ourselves fueled energetically, spiritually, emotionally, physically, so that we can continue to do everything we want to do and to care for our loved ones care for ourselves. Yeah, I think that’s so great. And I love love, love that you keep saying it looks different for everyone. We are all humans and we are all different. Everybody has different needs. Every body has a different need. It has to be specific to you or it’s it’s not going to work.
26:25 Absolutely. Where can people find you for more of your insight and wisdom? Oh, social media. I am on Instagram. I’m on Facebook, 30 minutes of everything. Also my website, 30 minutes of everything.com. And we three zero minutes of everything. Perfect. And yeah, we’ll have the links in the notes too.
26:45 Awesome. Thank you so much for being here. You are so welcome. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you.
26:52 Okay, so the takeaways today. Number one, self care is not selfish. You must decide your priorities and then schedule accordingly. You are always in charge of your time. It really is your time now, be sure to check Tanya out at 30 minutesofeverything.com and you can also find her on Instagram and Facebook a@30minutesofeverything.
Okay friends, that’s what I have for you today. Let’s circle back next week and for now make it a great day. Take care
27:33 Did you know you can take this work to a deeper level with me one on one. Go to Michellebourquecoaching.com and click on get started to begin