Last week my wife and I bought a juicer. I am a bit of a health nut when it comes to diet and working out. I have to be honest, I don’t always put into practice what I read but I really enjoy researching all things health related. I have been reading a lot about the benefits of juicing recently. Essentially you are able to get most of the nutrients from the fruits/vegetables without all the fiber. Also, since it is in liquid form is is very easy for your body to digest. I love the idea of being able to pack a ton of fruits and vegetables into a small drink. The first juice I made was 2 oranges, an apple, a piece of ginger and a lime and it was only about a quarter of a glass of juice! The nutrients from all those fruits in a few sips, I’ll take it.
Anyways, it got me thinking about how important it is to take care of ourselves, especially as entrepreneurs.
If I was unable to do my job and develop business, our company would be in serious trouble. Business development is what keeps our momentum going and what keeps us moving forward. Without that, we would probably not last very long. The same goes for Alex. If he was not able to serve the clients for an extended period of time, they would probably start looking for other options. Being healthy enough to work all the time is a big deal, especially for entrepreneurs who typically don’t have anyone else to rely on.
I want to take it a setup further. There are plenty of people who aren’t “healthy” that are very good at their jobs and show up to work everyday. However, I truly believe that living a healthy lifestyle is not only good for your body but also for your mind. I personally tend to be more focused and have more energy when I am eating right and working out.
Given the importance of a healthy lifestyle, here are a few quick tips that I have learned over the years.
Diet
This is probably the biggest one for me. What you put into your body is vitally important. A key for me has been developing eating habits that I can maintain. If you know me, you know that I love sugar. Cookies, cupcakes, candy, soda – I love it all. However, if I completely cut these out, it is extremely hard to maintain this for long periods of time. I try to avoid them at all costs but there are times when a little sugar is needed. Nothing can change your life more than eating healthy.
Sleep
Everyone is different when it comes to sleep. Some people can work on 3 hours of sleep and others need their solid 8-9. Whatever the case may be, getting good sleep is super important. It has a major effect not only your physical state but also your mental state.
Exercise
While diet and sleep are important to me, exercise is the one thing that I have been able to consistently stick to over the past few years. I absolutely love going to the gym. It is something that not only makes my body feel good but is so good for my mind. In that hour of working out, I am able to shut everything else off in my life and just exercise. Find something that you enjoy (running, lifting, yoga, etc.) and make it a habit. Your body and your mind will thank you.
People
I bet you are a little confused why “People” is 4th one on my list. Let me explain. Living a healthy lifestyle is hard. Really hard. Having the right people around to encourage you is crucial. If your friends are going out for ice cream every night, chances are you are going to end up tagging along quite a bit. And if your friends don’t work out, it is going to be much harder to get motivated to head to the gym by yourself everyday. I am not saying to ditch your friends and find new ones if this is the case. But I am saying that you should try to surround yourself with some like-minded people. Having someone to hold you accountable to your diet and exercise regimen will help you to make this lifestyle a habit.
I hope this has been a little bit helpful. I am by no means an expert when it comes to diet, nutrition and exercise but I do read a lot and have tried many things over the years. If you ever have any questions related to this, please let me know. Being an entrepreneur is hard enough, don’t let your health become a roadblock to your success.
Continuing down this path, we have John Basedow back on the blog next week. John is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle as an entrepreneur. Be sure to check back next week for part 2 of his interview.
