Entrepreneurs are a unique breed. They are immensely passionate, driven, innovative, and self-sacrificing. However these wonderful qualities can also lead them to put everything aside in order to give their business what it needs to succeed.
This may mean sacrificing family gatherings, social events, vacations, and even their health. Taking care of your health as an entrepreneur is vitally important. Since your income depends completely on you, any illness will directly affect your productivity and your business.
Follow these tips to become a healthy entrepreneur!
1. Get personal health insurance – and use it!
Health care benefits are a must for every entrepreneur. You wouldn’t take a job with a company that doesn’t offer extended health insurance, so why impose that on yourself? Prescription medications, eye care, physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and naturopathic medicine are all necessities. Once you’ve got it, make sure you use it! Schedule time to see a chiropractor about that nagging back pain, book a massage, and see a Naturopathic Doctor about that low energy that isn’t getting any better.
2. Establish work-life balance from the beginning.
I know what you’re thinking; the mystical work-life balance. Ok, so maybe you aren’t able to work a nice 9-5 day and turn your phone off for the evening, but do set boundaries. Maybe Sundays are an absolutely-no-work day, maybe Tuesday mornings are for hot yoga, and maybe family birthdays are not ok to miss. Think about your boundaries, write them down, and stick to them.
3. Plan vacation ahead – and take it.
If there was a way you could increase your job performance by 82%, would you do it? Well that’s exactly what vacation does. Infrequent vacationing has also been associated with increased risk of heart disease and heart attack. When doing your annual planning, schedule vacation time for a naturally slow time of year for your business. If you’re unable to take two weeks in a row (which I highly recommend you do), at least take a week or a long weekend a few times a year. A yoga or health retreat can also be a great way to maximize the health benefits of a vacation.
4. Give your adrenals some love.
Your adrenals are the small glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Their main job is to produce and secrete hormones including cortisol, the main stress hormone. The problem is, our society is over-stressed, inevitably producing too much cortisol. Eventually this leads to adrenal fatigue, aka the dreaded ‘burn-out’, with symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration, poor blood pressure and blood sugar control, low mood, and depressed immune system. Love your adrenals by exercising regularly, eating a nutrient-dense diet, and getting adequate sleep. If you are experiencing some of the symptoms mentioned, see a Naturopathic Doctor to have your cortisol tested, and get a plan for extra adrenal support.
5. Eat Intentionally.
When we’re busy, we often forget about nutrition, and just eat in order to satisfy that hungry grumble. Make nutritious food a priority and plan ahead. Grocery shop for the week, and do some prep – cut up veggies so they’re ready to grab, make a batch of quinoa salad for lunch for the week. Stock your desk or briefcase with healthy grab-and-go snacks like raw almonds, Lara bars, and an apple. Aim for five servings of veggies a day, and three fruits. If you have trouble putting together and sticking to a plan on your own, get help from a nutritionist (here’s where your health insurance kicks in again!)
6. Take Your Vitamins – and make sure they’re the right ones.
Even with the most optimal diet, vitamins and supplements can boost your overall health and prevent disease. You’re the expert at your business, but let someone else help you with your vitamin and supplements to make sure you’re not wasting money on supplements you don’t need.
7. Sneak in exercise
Exercise doesn’t always mean going to the gym for two hours a day and pumping iron. Look for small ways to be more active. That afternoon meeting you were going to take a taxi to? Leave early and walk. And take the stairs on the way up. Need some ‘me-time’? Schedule an activity you love like yoga or kick boxing. Meeting a friend for coffee? Head to the park to play tennis or Frisbee instead. Play around with your exercise and see what works for you, but aim to do something active everyday.
Being an entrepreneur is stressful, time-consuming and can lead to some of the worst health habits. But done right, it’s also immensely rewarding. Follow these tips to be at your best. The more love you give to yourself, the more you’ll have to give to your business.
Dr. Ashley Weber is a Naturopathic Doctor who develops close relationships with her patients seeks to gain insight into the physical and emotional factors contributing to their health. She approaches integrative medicine from multiple angles, and creates an individualized plan for each patient, tailored to their unique needs. She has a holistic mindset with a clinical focus on prenatal and pediatric care. She maintains a busy family practice in Toronto. Connect with Ashley on Facebook and Twitter.
