The hidden challenge many business owners face today isn't just managing cash flow or finding new customers: It's carving out enough personal time to take care of themselves. There just doesn't seem to be enough “me” time in a given day. Unfortunately, if these same business owners become disabled or get sick, who will replace them at work?
As a business owner, you may want to have a plan B in the event something happens to you. But it's equally as important to do everything you can to prevent initiating plan B! Here are three very simple self-care tips that can help business owners stay healthy and remain focused on taking their business to the next level.
1. Get moving.
The human body was not meant to be sedentary. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, being overweight can trigger a number of health problems. In an analysis of 47 studies concerning sedentary behavior and its effects on adults' health, a 2015 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that chronic sitting can lead many to develop type-2 diabetes and cancer. An hour at the gym in the morning doesn't offset spending the rest of the day sitting at a desk.
As Dr. James Levine, author of Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It states, “The bottom line is that if you've been sitting for an hour, you've been sitting for too long.” Luckily, there are many ways to use self-care to counteract the effects of sitting, such as:
- Walking around the office or block while on conference calls or for meetings.
- Using a standing desk, which are now popular—especially with people who have lower back pain.
- Setting an alarm to stand every 30 minutes and move around.
- Using phone apps and/or fitness devices to count steps for you and remind you to get moving.
2. Get nourished.
Self-care includes eating well. Health and wellness experts agree that skipping breakfast is a bad idea. Depriving yourself of energy in the morning may cause you to be hungrier and less energetic later on in the day. According to Milton Stokes, chief dietitian for St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, "Breakfast skippers replace calories during the day with mindless nibbling, bingeing at lunch and dinner. They set themselves up for failure."
When you don't have time to sit down for a full breakfast, I've found that having fresh fruit on hand along with a hard-boiled egg is a nourishing breakfast on the run.
3. Get mindful.
Mindfulness is the ability to live in the present moment. Applying mindfulness to your business may help boost your energy so you can get the most out of your day and your life.
Being mindful may also help you stay calm. According to the Mayo Clinic, panicking can create stress, which in turn causes the body to release cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that increases blood sugar and suppresses the immune system. Elevated levels of cortisol can lead to weight gain, muscle loss and illness.
Since running a business can be stress-inducing, business owners may run the risk of affecting their health if they let the uncertainty of entrepreneurship overwhelm them. Phone apps, such as Headspace and Calm, offer guided five-minute meditations. These meditations can be done anytime throughout the day to help bring you back to the present. In times of stress, try to remember that few things are permanent.
Uncertainty does not have to be a cause for fear. Owning your own business can be challenging and rewarding. Whenever you feel the walls are closing in on you, consider being present and in the moment. If you started the day with a good breakfast, you may already be one step ahead of the competition. Remember: Getting in your steps or squats or whatever motivates you to move may improve your day, your life and your bottom line.
For more tips to help you achieve a better work-life balance, watch the exclusive video series, made in partnership with MSNBC: Work-Life Balance: Tips from the Trenches.
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