Holistic Health for Business and Life
Healthy Body + Healthy Mind = Healthy Business and Success
Successful professionals know they must take care of themselves to do their best work. Taking time out of the work schedule to tend to one’s health should not be considered a sacrifice of the business, but rather a crucial segment of the plan. Health is a major contributing factor to productivity, clear thinking, and energy levels. Here are some simple wellness tips to help you thrive in life and in business.
Cut out fast food and drink lots of water
Busy entrepreneurs often turn to fast food in order to save time; unfortunately they do this at the expense of their overall health and daily energy levels. Every entrepreneur and business owner is extremely busy, so it can be difficult to find time to do anything else – especially prepare meals.
No matter how enticing fast food may seem, remind yourself that it will actually hurt your job performance and instead prepare quick, healthy snacks and meals. Preparing meals the night before, or even on weekends and freezing them ahead of time, is a great option. Some, who have the resources to do so, even go so far as to hire a person to handle meal preparation for them. Another option is to contract the services of a good, nearby deli to deliver healthy meals to your office each day.
Above all, be sure to drink plenty of fresh water. I keep a full water bottle with me at all times.
Stretch periodically throughout the day
Sitting at a desk or in front of a computer for hours on end can get really uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. Every hour or so, stand up and give your muscles a good stretch. This will also force you to take a short break from your busy schedule and recharge your mind.
Invest in computer glasses if you are in front of the screen all day
Even if you don’t require a prescription, a good pair of tinted computer glasses will go a very long way toward preventing computer eyestrain, which causes headaches and fatigue- neither of which are conducing to getting business taken care of. Experts say that you should cut down on the light shining into your eyes and make a habit of looking away from the computer to focus on other things every 20 minutes or so.
Incorporate yoga and mediation into your daily routine
Yoga is a great way to stretch and strengthen your muscles. It’s also a form of meditation, which can be extremely beneficial to a businessperson’s active mind.
Learning just a few yoga poses will have you looking like an instructor yourself. Hop up from your desk every once in a while and bust out a downward dog or warrior pose. Your muscles will thank you.
Finally, do take time to meditate for at least 10 or 15 minutes a day; most successful entrepreneurs swear by meditation. Try it- you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in your stress levels, as well as your creative thought processes.
Get plenty of sleep and follow your body’s internal cues.
There are countless articles out there that talk about how little sleep this entrepreneur or that actually gets, but the reality is that it is impossible to function at full throttle without sufficient amounts of sleep. Listen to your body and, regardless of what “they” say, sleep as much, or as little, as you need to, wake up when you are ready to and work when your natural energy level is at its peak.
While research shows that there is no magic number of hours that a person needs to sleep, and in fact each individual’s needs are distinct, it is important to note what your body needs and give it that.
Include cardio in your workout and don’t forget weight training
Unfortunately, the overall nature of conducting business is typically sedentary. This type of lifestyle is detrimental to your overall health and wellbeing, and can lead to adverse health related ailments if prolonged.
Balance out the deskbound part of your life with an active cardio routine. Many people enjoy waking up a half an hour earlier than usual in order to get a workout in. It wakes them up, makes them feel good, and they walk into the office full of self-confidence and ready to conquer the day’s challenges.
Weight training is an especially overlooked aspect of fitness. Sitting in a chair for long hours is bad for your posture, spine and muscles. As you grow older, this could lead to arthritis and other painful conditions. Neck strain, backache, and sore muscles will all improve with a good weight training routine.
Finally, taking just a fifteen to thirty-minute walk on your break or before you get started for the day will give you time to clear your mind, stretch your legs and get in some cardio. Many claim too that long walks can lend miles to inspiration; in fact, countless writers including Thoreau, Dickens and Wordsworth, to name a few, have sworn by it.