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Balanced, Not Busy: Meet Ciji Townsend

By: Good Measure Meals Q&A
Meet Ciji Townsend: Cox Communications Internal Communications Senior Manager, Pure Barre instructor, and creator of the Balanced Not Busy community (among many other things!).

The moment we met Ciji, we instantly connected with her mantra of balance and her mission of helping others thrive in a culture that pushes burnout.

Learn more about Ciji, plus read her thoughts about giving Good Measure Meals a try!

GMM: Thanks for joining us, Ciji! Let's start out by hearing straight from you: how would you describe yourself in 5 words or less?

CT: Go-getter relentlessly advocating for balance.

GMM: Love that! Now, as an advocate for balance, tell us what a typical day or week might look like for a go-getter like yourself.

CT: The only thing that's typical about my day or week is a cup of coffee (lol!).  Most days, I wake up at 5 a.m. and before anything can happen, I have to have my first sip of coffee.  I then move into quiet time usually in devotion and/or meditation. After that I work on building the Balanced Not Busy community (replying to speaking engagement emails, social media content planning, writing blog posts, etc.) while listening to the morning news until 7 a.m.  I then make some oatmeal and start to get ready for work.

I am a HUGE fan of public transportation, so I hop on a bus to get to the train station and then get on a shuttle to go to my office every day.  During that time, I read either a professional development book or whatever we are reading for book club.  Once in the office, I am 100% all in on work tasks.  I usually leave around 5:30 p.m.-ish to start my commute back to my house to grab my car and then go to either community organization meetings or to Pure Barre Westside to teach a class.  Home by dinner time and I warm up food for my husband and I that I've meal-prepped over the weekend. We watch TV, I make hot tea around 9:45 p.m., and off to bed I go.  At some point, 4-5 days a week I squeeze in a workout at some point during the day; either spin, Pure Barre or yoga.

GMM: So, at Good Measure Meals, we believe that healthy is not “one-size-fits-all” and encompasses way more than just what you eat. How would you describe your “healthy”?

CT: I totally agree!  My "healthy" is all about balance and living all areas of your life in harmony.  In order to be the best version of myself, I not only have to be mindful of what I put in my body but I also have to take care of my mind and soul.  I prioritize moments of stillness in my day, I am intentional about what I mentally consume, and I focus on managing my energy vs my time.

GMM: Really love what you said about being mindful about what you put into your body but also into your mind and soul. It's so important to strive for that balance. And speaking of what you put into your body, what’s one takeaway you have from your experience with Good Measure Meals so far?

CT: I shaved 90 minutes from weekly meal prep and 2 hours from making a grocery list, selecting recipes and commuting to the store/shopping! I love time-savers and I was able to use this time to spend more time with my family :)

GMM: We have to ask - What's your favorite Good Measure Meal?

CT: That's a tough one - I loved the lemon blueberry pancakes!

GMM: And finally, what’s one bit of encouragement you’d like to leave for our readers?

CT: Give yourself permission to try be OK with not being busy!  Society glorifies that busyness is the standard.  I challenge you to think of balance as a preferred way of life and be vigilant in finding ways to save time, be productive, prioritize wellness, and protect your energy!

Check out Ciji's hot take on her first Good Measure Meals delivery below!

Four Reasons Why You Should Try Good Measure Meals

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