As entrepreneurs and leaders, we can very easily get caught in a one-track way of thinking. When it comes to employee wellness, it is a vast subject that doesn’t just encompass mental health, emotional health, and psychological health but physical health as well. It can be very easy to neglect this latter point because we’re sat at a desk all day, and feel we can’t break that chain, but it’s just as important to be in peak physical health when you’re running a business. Here’s why, and what you can do.
The Role of Physical Activity in Stress Management
1. It Encourages Self-Reflection
When you identify certain physical weaknesses and assess your condition, energy levels, and health issues, these can affect your work. Investing in your health, whether it’s through the bare basics or getting to grips with those issues that are exclusive to you, can mean that you get a far more comprehensive approach to tackling your health.
You may be someone that has a very bad back because of sitting down at the desk all day and, therefore, actually doing your job is contributing to a decline in your physical health. But, of course, a good doctor or a chiropractor can give you a far better understanding of what you need to thrive.
2. Physical Activity is a Buffer Against Stress
We can often think that physical and mental health are two different things and ne’er the twain shall meet. As entrepreneurs or leaders, we face high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout if we are not managing it, but physical activity acts as a buffer by promoting relaxation, better sleep quality, and emotional resilience, meaning you’re going to avoid exhaustion.
3. The Enhanced Mental Clarity
Often, we can think about physical health purely benefiting our physical fortitude, but regular exercise has been shown countless times to boost cognitive functions like our creativity, memory, and problem-solving abilities. It reduces stress, which also improves our clarity and mood. If you want to think more strategically, you may very well benefit from having a kettlebell in your office or doing those walking phone call meetings, which are very popular right now!
4. Better Decision-Making
Ultimately, a healthy body supports a healthy mind. The big problem many of us have is that we don’t prioritize our physical well-being. However, those who do often report higher levels of self-efficacy and confidence in managing their businesses.
5. Ensuring You Do It Right
It can be very easy as a boss to feel that we have to do everything ourselves, but this is why, if you have physical weaknesses, it’s not about pushing farther than your capabilities but about using the tools you’ve learned to create a far more resilient physical body.
SMART goals can help you address those problems gradually, prioritizing exercise and sleep but also recognizing that nutrition is critical. It can be very easy to look at Donald “Diet Coke and McDonald’s” Trump and think that fast food is a simple way to nourish yourself, but let’s not venture down that route: you are what you eat! It is critical to be in peak physical condition, not just for your business, but let’s not forget your longevity!
