How your Health Makes you a Better Entrepreneur

You may think that highly successful people are that successful because they don’t do anything else than run their business. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

When you think about it – have you ever seen an obese multi-millionaire? You haven’t because, contrary to what others may think, these people spend quite a lot of time taking care of themselves in their spare time. It is their good health that makes them great entrepreneurs.

So, how do they actually take care of themselves?

Eating a healthy diet

You may think that eating healthy is difficult when running a successful business – you are always in rush, stuck at meetings, with no lunch breaks.

However, a healthy diet is of great importance not just for your body but for your mind as well. Avoiding junk food and eating mostly fibers and healthy fats will keep you energized, focused, and motivated. A strong, healthy body can endure stress present at work and a focused mind can overcome work challenges.

Getting sufficient sleep

Sleep is incredibly important for our overall health and for our day-to-day obligations. Getting enough sleep will make you clear-headed and focused, helping you to negotiate huge money deals, and communicating effectively with your clients and business partners.

The first thing you should avoid is hitting the snooze button in the morning. Getting 5 or 10 more minutes of sleep will only make you feel groggy because that sleep is light and fragmented. And that snooze button is telling you one more thing – it is telling you that 5 more minutes of bad sleep is more important than reaching your goals at work.

You need to be well-rested every day to be a successful entrepreneur because it keeps you alert and ready for potential problems and challenges you may face at work. You always need to be at top of your game, and that’s just not possible if you had 5 hours of sleep the previous night.

So, structure your evening so that you don’t do anything stressful two hours before you go to bed and avoid using your laptop or your mobile phone. Make sure your bedroom allows you to get sleep uninterrupted by noise or early sunlight.

Dental health

Dental health is highly important for two reasons. First of all, bad teeth and gums can seriously affect your health and cause much more serious issues with some of your vital organs. Secondly, white, shiny teeth make you feel more confident, which is very important when communicating with clients or trying to strike a huge deal with potential partners.

In many Western countries, a white smile and perfect teeth say a lot about a businessman – they are a significant physical characteristic that makes a person more trust-worthy and reliable. This is why Americans and Australians take a lot of care of their teeth. If you live in Australia and want to do something for your health and business, find a Penrith dentist or schedule an appointment in Sydney to get your pearly whites.

Your professional success partially depends on how others see you, and you don’t want to look like a person who neglects their oral hygiene and health. That way, you will also smile more – and everybody likes doing business with a person who has a bright smile and shares it with others.

Working out regularly

As an entrepreneur, you are destined to hit a wall from time to time. Sometimes, you will be in the red for months or you will lose an important member of your staff that will cost you important projects.

This is where regular workout can help you immensely – you learn how to face challenges head-on. The more you challenge yourself at the gym, the stronger you get. The same applies to business – the challenges at work will make you stronger if you tackle them the right way.

So, lifting weight at the gym will not only help your muscles to get stronger but it will also help you mentally, teaching you you need hard times to become a better version of yourself.

Not to mention the obvious benefit from a regular workout – your body is fit, strong, and healthy. You need to be active because our bodies are meant to be that way – that is the only way to stay healthy, energized, and confident. Depression and stress from work can get to you much more easily if you don’t shake it off at the gym or a yoga or pilates class.

Bottom line

Good health is a prerequisite for every successful business. No person can stay active, happy, or successful for long if they don’t take care of themselves. So, to become and stay a successful entrepreneur, make sure your health is your first priority.

Mike is an Australian business consulting specialist. He’s working with companies that outsource their IT maintenance. He often writes about technology, business and marketing and is a regular contributor on several sites.