It is often the case that business people put in long hours, don’t get enough exercise, eat poorly, and deny themselves proper rest in an effort to be more productive. It even seems like some people consider it a “badge of honour” to have exhausted themselves while attempting to keep their company running efficiently.
The fact of the matter is that if you don’t take care of yourself, your performance at work will suffer and you will ultimately hurt your business rather than help it.
Sleep Well!
Studies have shown that the average adult requires between 7-9 hours of sleep every night to be properly rested. Without that minimum amount of sleep, stress levels increase, productivity drops off, worker absenteeism goes up, more mistakes are made requiring expensive fixes, and injuries become more frequent.
A study reported by EHS Today indicates that there is a linear relationship between good sleep and regular exercise. The article quotes Dr. David Batman, director of research for the FCDP, as saying, “There are significant increases in productivity and reduction in fatigue and stress levels at work and home. Extrapolation of these results leads to an obvious conclusion that simple exercise improves sleep, and the combined result will be an increase in personal and business performance.”
Get Moving!
In addition to helping you sleep better, regular exercise has a number of other benefits:
- Improved concentration
- Sharper memory
- Faster learning
- Prolonged mental stamina
- Enhanced creativity
- Lower stress
Ensuring that your regular routine includes just 20 minutes of exercise a day will keep you physically—and mentally—in great condition to stay at your best.
Eat Healthy!
A healthy diet will make you better at your job.
When you power your body with the right fuel, you perform better. As noted in the Harvard Business Review, high fat foods can make you groggy because it takes so much effort for your body to process them. A better plan is to graze throughout the day, eating small portions and including healthy snacks like almonds or fruit. This helps to regulate your glucose levels and keeps you on an even—and productive—keel instead of suffering the big peaks and valleys that gorging on unhealthy foods cause.
Reduce Your Work Hours!
This one seems very counterintuitive at first but it’s true! Many studies have been conducted in the workplace that all say basically the same thing: long hours at work result in decreased productivity, increased stress, and increased frequency of injuries. This article from Stanford University indicates that a person working 60 hours a week actually gets less accomplished than a person working 40 hours per week! The long hours result in chronic stress and fatigue that cause a person to lose focus to such an extent that they simply aren’t capable of keeping up to workers who are just putting in regular hours. So if you want to remain productive, you need to make sure you take time off to rest and recover.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
It’s a cliché, but it’s also true: Working harder won’t necessarily get you the results you want if you aren’t smart about it. You need to make sure you get the proper amount of rest, eat well, and get some exercise if you want to get the most out of your hard work. If you neglect your own health while overworking yourself, you will break down eventually. It is critical that you take time for yourself if you want to get the most out of your business.
If you feel you are ready to make some positive changes to your business model to get the most out of your company and your life, contact TMH Business Coaching today for a confidential, free, no obligation consultation to propel you forward. Also, please feel free to add yourself to our weekly coaching tips email!
Business can be better™ and it should be!
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