This a little off our usual business and marketing topic, but I felt it was important. I'm currently enrolled in a business "boot camp", and the first two days, this was a subject that was passionately shared by two different speakers. So I shared my notes with the writers and asked them to expand on the bullet points I had written down.
When you’re working on growing your business or even working hard to get that next promotion, it’s easy to put in long, hard hours and in the process neglect your health. I get it. It’s hard to eat right and make time for exercise, or even get enough sleep when you’re working 12 hours a day. The problem is that by ignoring those healthy habits, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. Let’s look at how your health and your financial success are linked.
The link is easiest to see when your health isn’t where it should be. Think about the last time you had a bad cold or some back pain. Being fairly uncomfortable didn’t make it easy to get work done, did it? Chances are everything took you much longer because it was harder to focus. Your productivity started going down, and you were more prone to make mistakes.
The sicker you get, or the more pain you’re in, the worse the effects are. But even something as simple as a stiff neck, or not getting a good night sleep will influence your work. It doesn’t take much to cut into your focus and productivity. Thankfully the opposite is also true. Some small positive changes and healthy habits can help you get better at what you do and in turn set you up for business success.
Getting a solid eight hours of sleep is one of the best things you can do to make sure you’re ready for a productive day at the office. Going out for a brisk walk on your lunch break is a great way to combat the afternoon slump. Getting up and frequently stretching throughout the day not only avoids tension in your neck and back, but also gives you a chance to think through your next task instead of doing busy work.
Start paying attention to your daily habits from your sleep schedule to what you eat and how much you move around. Start taking better care of yourself and your body. Take those vitamins, eat something that’s good for you for lunch, and get in 30 minutes of exercise per day. In short, cultivate some healthy habits and watch how it starts to change your body, your mind, and your business for the better.
**You don’t have to make this hard or difficult. Instead, start with something easy like going to bed at a certain hour or making an effort to drink enough water throughout the day. Work on one healthy habit at a time. Stick with it, and it won’t be long before you start seeing results.