As business owners we’re constantly all focused on trying to do our best to improve our businesses and its underlying financial health – but what about our own? A recent study has shown that on average business owners are 50% less likely to go to the gym or maintain a regular exercise regime, are more likely to be overweight and more likely to suffer from chronic back pain.
In a constant drive to improve our businesses many entrepreneurs have forgotten that if you don’t look after your own wellbeing, your business won’t be able to run at its best. As the most important part of our business, we need to take care of ourselves to ensure that we’re able to work effectively day to day and into the long term.
Here’s a short list of tips of things you should do to improve your wellbeing:
- Avoid those takeaway traps
It might seem like an obvious one, but it’s an issue a lot of business owners face. With business owners on average working upwards of 50 hours per week on their business, one of the first things to fall victim is the time to make a home cooked meal in favour of unhealthy takeaway. Spend the time making delicious meals that you’ll enjoy and more often than not they’ll be significantly healthier than the takeaway alternatives. Cooking can be great for your mental health – so put on some music or your favourite podcast while chopping up the veggies and make what might have been seen as a chore as some ‘me’ time.
- Sit in a chair all day? Don’t cheap out.
For many business owners who work in front of a computer all day, their computer chair will often be an afterthought. Either a cheap chair bought from Officeworks or whatever they could find lying around. Dr. Shane Hennig, a chiropractor who assists many self-employed patients, notes that back pain in particular will often be more significant in those who work all day in front of a computer than those in manual labouring roles because of poor chair quality and setup. Adjustable chairs with strong lower back support are more likely to assist manage your posture. You can also look at the sitting time rating for chairs – this will tell you how long on average a person can sit on the chair without causing significant ongoing issues. In general gaming computer chairs will have the longest ratings and a good option to consider, however these will generally be more expensive than many other types of chairs. (but arguably cheaper than many other ergonomic options)
- Get up and dance
Ok maybe you don’t need to bust a move, but get active. Whether you integrate a walk during your ‘lunch break’, fit in some push ups each hour or grab a skipping rope, getting your heart pumping consistently through the day will help add up to an overall better health makeup. If you can integrate it into your daily activities you can find that it won’t eat into your work time all that much and make you less lethargic. My personal tip – I added a pullup bar to my offices door, so whenever I walk in or out of the room I do 5 pullups, meaning I’ll quickly do upwards of 60 pullups a day!
Just remember, the more you look after yourself, the more likely you will be able to be attentive, productive, energised and last for the long term as a business owner, so what may seem like as easy in avoiding exercise or that home cooked meal, may be causing you and your business more harm for the long term.
Do you have any tips for improving your health as a business owner? Let us know!
