When you are a businessperson, you work hard to keep yourself afloat in the competitive field that you work in. However, you cannot let your health suffer while you are busy working yourself to the bone. Keeping your health in check is much easier said than done. Even though better health can help people perform better at work, many people neglect taking care of themselves, instead preferring to power through their health issues in favor of working. Here are six ways you can keep your health in check as a businessperson without having to sacrifice the quality of your work.
1. Eat Well
It should go without saying that eating a healthy diet will improve your health, but when you live a fast-paced lifestyle where you are constantly busy, it can be easy to fall into the trap of grabbing fast food to takeout when you do not have time to make a healthy meal. Whenever possible, make time for yourself to prepare a healthy meal, or prepare them in advance for those times when you are busy. What you eat has massive effects on your productivity and many other factors that influence how you perform at work.
2. Supplements
For those times when you do resort to fast food or takeout, it can be nice to have a backup plan that can help you get what you need for the day, such as Thrive. What is Thrive? Thrive and other supplements like it claim to improve cognitive function, aid in weight loss, and provide other health benefits. While these supplements provide nice perks, it is still important to keep a healthy diet in addition to the supplements. Supplements can help you along, but the majority of your results will come from leading a generally healthy lifestyle.
3. Exercise
The other aspect of maintaining good health that everyone talks about is getting a good amount of exercise. The amount of exercise that health professionals recommend varies, but as long as you are getting your heart rate up a few times per week, you are at least heading in the right direction. Everyone’s body is different, so talk to a health professional about how much exercise you need. Exercising does not have to take long, so you can always fit it into even the busiest schedules. If you have just fifteen minutes to set aside for some sit ups, that is enough to have some benefits.
4. Mental Health
One type of health that has been largely ignored in the past but is slowly starting to gain prominence is mental health. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental illnesses, and those are important to address, but a seemingly innocuous feeling that can lead to a severely damaged mental state if ignored is stress. Extreme stress is frighteningly common in the field of business because of how competitive and fast-paced it is. If you feel yourself getting stressed, take some time to relax, and if it persists, consider speaking to a professional.
5. Networking
Your social health is important as well, and it is one of the easiest to maintain because of how often you are around others as a businessperson. However, another important aspect that can affect your health is your reputation, which you can help by networking. The way others perceive you is one of the most important things about you when you are trying to climb the corporate ladder. Being friendly and professional to both your peers and superiors is a great way to increase your reputation and decrease the amount of pressure you feel.
6. Sleep
Finally, getting enough sleep is vital to keep yourself alert and healthy at important times during your career. Most health professionals recommend that you get roughly eight hours of sleep every night, but some people need more and some people need less. You know your body better than anyone, so it is up to you to decide what amount of sleep helps you function the best. As long as it is more than six hours, you are probably doing well. You might not like hearing this, but you may need to adjust your usual bedtime if you want to perform well at work.
No matter how much it might hurt to hear for the hardcore workaholics out there, you need to remember that your health is more important than your job. After all, if you are unable to work, your success does not matter. Your family is relying on you to be successful, but they also need you to be healthy and spend time with them. It is up to you to find a balance between the two that satisfies everyone. There is nothing wrong with working hard, but you cannot let work take over your life in an unhealthy way.