‘Health is wealth’ is currently the most underrated proverb. It’s because all of us know how important health is but very few make an effort to follow through. Staying fit seems like a luxury to many of us, given the modern hectic lifestyle. And if you are an entrepreneur, there is little chance for you to find time to take care of your health.

It’s no coincidence that a lot of entrepreneurs have health related problems, as they treat their bodies terribly in exchange for success. And the most common problems for entrepreneurs are often not even “work” related. In many instances, it has something to do with excessive sitting, poor diet, little sleep, long unsociable hours, and unhealthy food. Constantly prioritizing the grind and hustle isn’t healthy for you or your business, so here are some useful health tips for entrepreneurs from Dr. Afrin Sultana herself!

1.      Commit to a Healthy Diet

Without a doubt, the most important thing you can do to start feeling better and improve your health is change what you eat and drink! Enhancing the quality and variety of food that goes into your body ensures that your immune system, metabolism and mental processes function at an optimum level. This is imperative for the mental capacity or physical energy required to run your own business. You should:

·        Drink plenty of water (8-10 glasses/day)

·        Try to have organic unprocessed food

·        Have food with no/minimum added sugar

·        Have balanced macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals)

·        Try to take fruits as in-between snacks

2.      Improve the way you Eat & Drink

You should have a good breakfast and start your day with maximum energy. Set a fixed eating pattern – it’s best to have meals, in small portions, but 6 times a day – and always chew your food thoroughly. Hydrating yourself is important, and so drink plenty of water, herbal teas, fresh juice, or coconut water but don’t during and for unto an hour after a meal as it slows down your digestion.

Please maintain a regular sleep schedule, preferably from 11pm to 8am, because your body needs time to recharge itself to function properly. And an adequate amount of sleep, 7-9 hours on average, in complete darkness or in minimum blue light helps you to do just that.

3.      Improve your Posture

Try to avoid sitting for prolonged periods as it is quite harmful to body postures and can cause problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol & other metabolic syndrome. Also, spending long hours in front of a computer leads to neck, back, and shoulder pain & numbness. So, get up, move around, and interact with people – and 10-15 minute breaks between every 33-minute long session works wonders!

4.      Make Exercise a Priority

Walking is the simplest form of daily exercise. Apart from this, running, cycling, and other muscle exercises help to nourish immune system.

Exercising is a natural and effective way to remove toxins from our bodies. Not only does it help to build a healthy body but also a more youthful & happy mind. So, I’d say that 20 minutes of extensive exercise or an hour of walking per day is great.

5.      Maintain Good Personal Hygiene

Good hygiene is directly related to better health and lessened illnesses. Poor hygienic habits can lead to some minor side effects like body odor and greasy skin, causing embarrassment or lowering your self-esteem, or lead to serious ailments such as pink eyes, upset stomach, skin diseases, viral/bacterial disease transmission, etc.

6.      Educate Employees for a Healthy & Hygienic Workplace

A happy and healthy workforce ensures increased productivity, and therefore growth and success for the company. Educate them on the high-risk hotspots for germ infection, such as toilet seats, reception desks, service charters, telephones, and so on, and insist that they clean their work areas using sanitizing wipes, wash their hands before handling food and eating, wash their hands after handling garbage or touching an animal, and cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze or cough.

7.      Ensure Clean Windows & Improved Air

The air quality has a huge impact on our health, and as humans, we’re meant to experience the nature, breathing that lovely fresh air. Not only is this a great opportunity to absorb some vitamin D3, but also helps improve our immune system by enhancing our human micro-biome (the “good bugs” living inside us). So, keep a window open and buy some house plants as they’re great air filters!

Natural light can transform a dull workplace into a bright one, enhancing the employees’ mood and performance. So, ensure that you have clean windows at all times in your office.

8.      Be always Presentable

Looking good and healthy, and feeling presentable can give you a confidence boost as well as a sense of pride in your appearance.

And, in the office, be comfortable. If it’s your company or your office, wear what makes you most at ease. Running a company is hard enough, don’t add to the stress by being uncomfortable – whether that’s jeans or heels, go with what suits you (no pun intended)!

At a meeting, dress better. Keep in mind that you represent your company and your product and dressing better means that you take the meeting, and those you’re meeting, seriously.

9.      Take a break

For a business owner or an entrepreneur, taking a break from such a responsible position seems to be almost impossible. Your role requires constant communication with stakeholders and working all the time to achieve success. But, what if you suddenly burn out?

Your body won’t let you work continuously with the same enthusiasm, and fatigue can take over at any time. So make sure you utilize weekends and holidays, they will recharge your mind and prepare you for the next phase of your business.

Cherish a hobby in your weekly schedule – hit the tennis court, go swimming, visit a new place or do anything that relaxes your mind. A healthy mind will lead you to greater success than one that’s stressed out.

Entrepreneurs relentlessly work hard, there’s no doubt about that. But such busy work requires you to be at the top of your game at all times. By focusing on your physical and mental health, you can ensure that you’re keeping a level head to focus on the betterment of your business. So, follow the tips discussed so far and adopt the healthy habits that will help you to run your business for years to come.