data

How many of you pay for a gym membership that goes unused?  How about that great treadmill or Bo-Flex machine which is collecting dust in your basement?  Well, then you are paying quite the fat tax, and it’s affecting your ability to succeed as a business owner. I’ve been in ‘this game’ called Entrepreneurship for all sixteen years of my post-college career. Three businesses later, hundreds of thousands of dollars invested, countless hours toiled and an untold number of all-nighters have put a great deal of stress on this 37 year-old mind and body.  As a former student-athlete, striking a healthy mind-body balance has always been important to me, and one of the foundations of my success.  My ability to maintain or reclaim that balance amidst the incessant demands of start-up businesses has been challenged, to say the least.  I want to bring this issue to light for the benefit of young entrepreneurs, as well as seasoned veterans, who I am sure can attest to how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle while building their businesses. “Sacrifice” they say “is necessary for success”.  You have to give things up, that I agree with. But your health should not be one of them!  When you’re passionate about something or up against the clock, nothing else seems to be a priority.  All you can think about it how to raise more capital or grow your sales to avoid hitting the red.  It can be very stressful.  And it doesn’t get any easier on the other side of the fence, after you start achieving some success.  Bigger clients, growing staff and hungrier investors come with bigger demands on your time and energy.  That is why you have to carve out the space right now – no matter what stage of entrepreneurship you’re in – to make healthy living a top priority.  Consider it an investment in your business, if that’s what it takes to motivate you. I’m not speaking to you as a personal trainer, nutritionist or business coach – I’m coming from the perspective of a long-time entrepreneur who has been through this.  I can remember a three-year time period where I literally worked day and night, sun-up to past sun-down, slept in the office once a week, and ate two meals a day at my desk.  I was 27-29 at the time, and it really took a toll on me.  The ‘athlete’ in student-athlete no longer existed, although I never stopped thinking of myself as a ‘healthy person’.  But I was on the verge of burnout, with an aching back and stiffness in the knees, although I no longer participated in sports.  The body has a funny way of communicating our needs to us.  I took this as a message – “I’m too young for this” I thought, as I proceeded to join the gym the next day, signing up for yoga and karate to complement a new cardio and weight lifting routine.  I can honestly say, from both personal and professional standpoints, that this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.  It’s 8 years later, and I haven’t looked back since. So what’s your story?  I know, the kids or other personal demands are taking up your non-work time.  Whether it’s active social or family lives, which are also vital parts of a healthy 360 degree lifestyle, it should not impede your ability to take out 15-30 minutes a day to get the heart rate up through some form of exercise.  I would not count walking to work as exercise either, although it’s always good to get some extra movement in your daily routine. Here are some of the things that I recommend to alleviate stress and strike a balanced lifestyle that will increase your productivity, happiness and longevity as an entrepreneur: Pick 1-2 fitness or sports activities that are accessible and reliable (meaning, you don’t have to depend on too many other people to participate in). Schedule yourself for at least four days per week , at a minimum of 15 minutes per session.  Going for a jog around the block or doing three sets of push-ups and sit-ups is minimal but acceptable.  If you have a gym membership, don’t pay the “fat tax” – instead, actually use it! Track it , so that you can keep yourself honest.  Use a spreadsheet, calendar or simple web-based checklist for marking the days you worked out.  I have created such a Personal Time Tracking Tool in Excel that you can check out.  If you don’t track it, it becomes easy to play mind games with yourself and start regressing. Be safe. Playing sports always comes with its risks.  Just try to minimize those risks. No need to be a hero and dive for loose balls all over the court.  Contain your competitive drive (as much as possible) for when you get back to the office.  Let this time be a good release, have fun, and get home in-tact.  This is easier said than done, especially for competitive entrepreneurs! Hire a trainer for at least 2 workouts per month.  Someone that can help you stay accountable to yourself, and work out “the right way” instead of just walking on the treadmill while checking your email or watching TV. A few quick tips on the nutrition side, which is equally as important to your health as physical exercise: Don’t eat until you’re full. It makes you tired, craving more sugar and caffeine, and reduces your energy level.  Chances that you’ll say “I’m just beat.  I can’t work out today.” increase 3-fold. Don’t skip meals. You may think that’s positive for taking in less calories; but in my experience, unless one is consciously fasting, skipping meals drains your energy, induces over-compensation in subsequent meals and throws the metabolism out of whack. Get the office into a health kick as well. At my company, I provide healthy snacks, teas and a gym membership to encourage healthy lifestyles.  I can’t force it of course, but I can be a role model and create an environment where taking care of oneself is strongly encouraged. With that in place, here are a few other health tips that will nicely complement your regimen: Get sufficient, quality sleep. Not sleeping enough dulls your mind and tires your body. Meditate. Even if it’s for five minutes a day, meditation gets the mind to slow down will increase your clarity and overall well-being. Take a relaxing vacation at least once a year.  There is nothing like a vacation for rejuvenating the mind, body and soul. As an entrepreneur, you have to constantly reinvent yourself to meet new challenges.  Your personal health challenge is something that you already face daily, whether you are conscious of it or not.  Wherever you stand right now, if you raise your awareness and commitment level to your health, I promise you that the quality of your work and your life overall will improve.  You can measure it yourself as part of an experiment.  Others have, as have I – and the data is irrefutable.  Healthy lifestyles lead to happier and more productive entrepreneurs. Arman Rousta is Founder & CEO of digital agency, Blueliner, which services start-ups and established companies such as IZOD, California Closets and Lufthansa. Read more about Arman here