“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most people won’t, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can’t.” – Unknown
Being an entrepreneur means that you’re dedicated, motivated, and most of all, busy. Whether you are starting your first business or are currently building your third, it’s critical that you make time for the most important aspect of your life — your health.
After all, health is wealth.
Between every little task you need to complete day in and day out, it can be easy to forget to eat, to exercise and to get enough sleep. Once you get into an unhealthy routine, it can be challenging to break the cycle. Well, that is until you burn out or get sick.
In order to maintain a productive and successful business long-term, you need to look after yourself from day one.
Easier said than done, right?
If you are in need of a health-boost, here are five practical ways in which you can stay healthy, by taking less than 45 minutes out of your day. Make time for your health, so that your business can thrive.
When it comes to overall positive health, you need to focus on all aspects of your physical and mental well-being. From your skin to your heart, you can positively impact your health on a daily basis without much effort at all. Start new routines, ensuring that your health continues to be a top priority.
1. Start a fun exercise routine
There are so many home workout programs out there, that you can easily take a 30 minute break from your hectic routine to get your heart rate up. Not only will this contribute to greater positive health, especially in terms of your cardiovascular system, but it is a great way to relax and unplug.
When you maintain a healthy weight and exercise on a daily basis, you will have more energy — it’s as simple as that. Yes, energy, something in which all entrepreneurs need more of. Well, that and time, of course. If you do not already have a quick workout that you’d like to follow, there are plenty of resources online.
Have you heard of the Bikini Body Guide? It will help you get into great shape, all while you maintain a more stable metabolism. Designed for women of all body types, it’s a great way to get motivated and reshape both your body and mind. You can also search ‘exercise videos’ using YouTube, just to get you started. From there, you may find your niche and even end up joining a class.
2. Don’t skip meals and choose the right foods
When you’re an entrepreneur, you may not even be in the same country some days. Between meetings, sales, and overall business development, it can sometimes be easier to reach for a donut and coffee than something that will truly fuel your body. Diet is perhaps one of the most important aspects of your health and without key nutrients, your body will simply not function as well as it could.
Not only do you need an array of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and protein for your physical health, but your brain also relies on key nutrients. Meaning, if you’re not eating properly, your level of cognition could pay the price. You need to be as focused and motivated as possible, so be sure to:
- Maintain consistency — You do not necessarily need to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner — but you should listen to your body and ensure that you’re getting everything you need on a daily basis. If you’re one to snack throughout the day and eat only 1-2 big meals, go for it, as long as you’re choosing the right types of snack foods — homemade trail mix, Greek yogurt, raw vegetables, hummus, fruit, etc.
- Plan ahead — If you have some down time on a Sunday, plan for the week ahead. Make some protein-rich energy balls, cook large batches of meals, and freeze them, so that you have a convenient, yet nutrient-rich meal for when you’re in a hurry.
- Green Smoothies – One of my favorite hacks to a healthy, quick breakfast is a green smoothie.
At the end of the day, you’re a smart individual, so don’t cheat yourself out a balanced diet. Stay away from processed foods and focus on more whole options, including plenty of dark leafy greens, fruit, colorful vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fish, and other lean sources of protein.
3. Don’t forget skincare
It’s not only your external health that requires your attention — skincare is a critical part of any health regimen. Your skin works incredibly hard to protect you from foreign invaders and in all fairness, it deserves the royal treatment. With the added stress of owning a business, you may want to focus on some simple and effective, moisturizing and anti-aging remedies.
A full treatment will take only 10 minutes, yet will leave your skin feeling completely refreshed. There are so many home remedies, including the use of coconut oil, avocado, oatmeal, and so much more — but few are as effective in terms of detoxifying your skin than activated charcoal.
Whether you want to combat acne or simply improve the look and feel of your skin, activated charcoal has the ability to draw toxins out of your skin so that you can maintain balance.
To make your own face mask, simply mix 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal with water, as well as an optional, all-natural clay. Apply to your face and leave on for 10-15 minutes or until completely hardened — then rinse with warm water.
4. Don’t Be Shy of a Nap
Perhaps you’re not one to go to bed early and to be honest, you do your best work early in the morning, so how do you ensure you get enough sleep? Taking a nap may seem like something that’s meant for babies and the elderly, but this could not be further from the truth. In fact, you know who loved a good nap and was known for his odd sleeping schedule — Thomas Edison.
He was a firm believer of power-naps, and to be fair, he was on to something. It’s been found that short power-naps, are able to boost cognitive functioning and overall productivity. Even large companies such as Google are encouraging their employees to take naps throughout the day.
5. Drink Up
Although you may want to reach for an afternoon glass of wine some days, the best thing you can do is ensure that you’re drinking enough water both for your body and mind. When you’re thirsty, you’re already experiencing the effects of dehydration, which then interfere with your ability to think, as well as your overall energy levels.
Force yourself to carry around a reusable water bottle, ensuring that you get enough each and every day. This doesn’t even need to cut into your schedule, as you can sip away while you work. It’s said that you should be drinking half of your bodyweight in ounces daily — meaning, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking 70 ounces per day or approximately nine cups per day.
Each and every individual is unique in terms of their schedule, however, you can always make time for your health. Remember, without your health, you cannot effectively run a business. Working hard to achieve your goals is both incredible and inspiring, just make sure that you take a little time for yourself each and every day — you’ll be thankful you did.
Megan Thompson is a DIY health & beauty addict. She’s committed to making her itsy-bitsy apartment chemical free and her diet as unprocessed as possible. You can find her work at Gold Mountain Beauty where she is responsible for the blog, Instagram and Pinterest.
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