There are a great many responsibilities to juggle when you are a business owner. Regardless of if you have been running it for a while or just recently purchased a business, it involves dedication and hard work. Add to that the need to juggle house chores and social life in the middle of a global pandemic, then it is very easy to put your health in the backseat.
The idea that busy work life cannot coexist with healthy living is, of course, not true. While busyness often makes it difficult to prioritize health, there are small steps you can take to make sure that health and career both remain top priorities.
Five Healthy Habits for the Busybody
Busyness should not excuse poor health! Practice these simple habits to stay healthy despite your busy schedule.
1. Plan and portion your meals ahead.
The usual excuse for not eating healthy meals is that there is just not enough time to prepare meals during the week. However, a balanced diet is important to keep you energized throughout the workweek.
Take the time to precook the week’s meals during your days off. Alternating two to three different dishes usually works. It helps to have a variety, too, from salad to meats and even pasta.
After preparing your meals for the week, take the time to portion them out before the workweek begins so that you can take one out of the fridge and reheat it during breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For especially hectic schedules, have filling smoothies instead that still provide plenty of nutrition.
2. Drink lots of water.
It is easy to overlook how thirsty you are when you have a full schedule. But no matter how hot or cold the weather is, drinking water is important to function every day.
Around four to six cups of water every day is usually enough for healthy people. Note that this needs adjustment depending on certain health conditions, temperatures, and the activities you are doing for the day.
Since drinking water can easily slip a person’s mind when they are in between meetings, use a tumbler so that you have a visual reminder to drink water when you need to.
3. Take a walk while answering calls.
When exercise becomes too tough to insert into your day, there are still creative ways to make sure you get your regular workouts done despite your tight schedule. You can hit two birds with one stone by pacing around while taking calls. Make it easier to get some exercise done by using hands-free phone accessories so that you can do stretches easily.
Another way to squeeze into your work hours is to try doing chair yoga during your work breaks. Any chair will do for doing chair yoga poses, although make sure that you do not use any chair with wheels. If needed, you may also place blocks or something similar under your feet to plant your feet more firmly.
4. Make time to socialize.
You surely have heard the saying, “No man is an island.” There is truth in these words because humans are naturally social beings. Social interaction contributes to our mental and physical health.
Even when you have so much on your plate, do not neglect your relationships with family and friends. Your capacity to cope with the things you are experiencing has ties to the connections you maintain with other people.
While this has become trickier because of COVID-19, make time to catch up with friends, even via phone or video call. Face-to-face interaction is preferred, but do it in a safe environment, such as keeping masks on, staying outdoors, and waiting until you are fully vaccinated.
5. Follow a routine as much as possible.
To stay on top of the day’s responsibilities, it is best to have a consistent routine that you follow. This helps to gauge the amount of work you can accommodate in a day and keeps you from overworking yourself.
At first, you can try out different routines to see which works best for you. This could mean waking up an hour earlier than usual to prepare yourself for work or even setting a set sleep time.
Tweak your routine as you see fit. When you find the best one for you, stick with it to condition your mind and body to build it as a habit.
Remember, however, that if you are not feeling well, it is best to visit a doctor to address your concerns better. Your physical and mental health should be a priority, too, alongside your growing business.
