Tuesday 20 May 2014

3 Essential Rules to Maximise Executive Wellness

Last weekend I delivered a presentation to an audience of Alumni at London Business School.

We covered the headlines of how to fit in exercise, eat for energy, sleep well and balance your life, and everyone left with an individual plan to help them take their health, wellbeing and energy to the next level.

A few things cropped up during the session that I thought would be worth sharing.  The group was diverse - a range of ages, nationalities and all working for a variety of businesses - but the common thread between them all is that they are successful, busy and focused on high performance.

There were three things we concluded are imperative to successful wellbeing within a busy professional schedule:

1. Wellbeing has to be a priority
If it isn't, other things get in the way and there's a danger that a few days of allowing wellbeing to be a lower priority can turn into weeks, months or even years of performing well but always suspecting you could perform better or progress faster in every area of work and life.  We all have nagging thoughts that we could look after ourselves better - the secret is to act on these thoughts quickly and consistently.

2. Wellbeing has to be personal
It might require a little effort but the right wellbeing plan for you needs to be directed towards your specific objectives with exercise, healthy eating and life balance, and it needs to fit into your routine.  Regardless of what job you do, hours you work, travel schedule you follow or how many children you have, it is vital to design your ideal wellbeing schedule that fits in with all of these parameters.  Don't fight the life you've created and use it as a reason not to take care of yourself - revise your plan until it works for you.

3. Wellbeing has to be regular
Related to the other two points, you must take regular action towards optimising your wellbeing and you must also review your progress regularly.  A few minutes each day and every week to plan your lifestyle choices in relation to what you're trying to achieve with these choices will help you stay on track with consistent, positive action.  Putting your wellbeing objectives into context with the rest of your life is a guaranteed way to keep you motivated.  For example, eating well, taking regular exercise and prioritising quality sleep will all help you perform more effectively, experience better energy, balance your work and family life better and ultimately allow you to enjoy everything you do fully. With that thought in mind there are more good reasons to stay on track with your wellbeing than there are to let it slide.

So follow the thoughts of some of the current business leaders around the world and make sure you prioritise these three areas at all times.


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