Last year, I read Dr. Larry Ohlhauser's book, The Healthy CEO, and I found his advice to be solid, simple and yet still hard to practice--my bad habits get the better of me at times. The basic idea is to adopt a few key practices in your life that give you physical, relational, and financial wellness — three areas of health that are critical to business owners.
Physical Wellness
Dr. Ohlhauser offers this practical advice to take charge of your health and quality of your life:
- Eat up to 35 grams of whole grain foods daily. These foods contain fiber that allow digested food to pass more easily through the colon. Fiber also helps to normalize metabolism and digestion while steadying your blood sugar levels.
- Exercise four-five days per week. When you increase your heart rate, endorphins are released that stimulate your brain, making you more creative, boosting your energy level and even helping you to focus more when you're back on the job.
- Get seven-eight hours sleep per night. Sleep is absolutely essential to your health. Your body utilizes the time you are sleeping to restore certain processes such as protein synthesis. Also while you're sleeping you release vital hormones that let your brain, organs, heart and blood pressure rest.
- Your body needs proper hydration to function optimally. In addition to other fluids you take in, ensure you are drinking at least six, eight-ounce glasses of water daily.
Relationship Health
To get along better with others and prevent stress in your relationships (which can negatively effect your job satisfaction and your home life), Dr. Ohlhauser recommends:
- Becoming more aware of your strengths, weaknesses and worth. The goal is to control your emotional reactions to others.
- Voicing your expectations to your partner. Expressing expectations may prevent many assumptions that contribute to conflict.
Financial Health
To manage your income and avoid poor financial decisions that may affect your physical well-being, Dr. Ohlhauser suggests:
- Measuring your current financial status based on your net worth, not your stock portfolio or savings. Your net worth is the sum of your bank and retirement accounts, real estate, and the net worth of your business minus your debts.
- Keeping track of what you purchase to see how you are spending your money. This will discourage you from buying things you don't need.
- Using the "70-30" savings rule. Try to live off of 70% of your after-tax income and leave the other 30% to saving and investing.
If you want to treat your body well, make your relationships more healthy and minimize financial stress, then you may find reading The Healthy CEO to be of value.
With a glass of spring water in hand, I offer my cheers to a long, healthy life full of enjoyment. That’s the point of why you are working so hard now, right?
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