Most executives understand the benefits of taking care of their health but have so much on their plates that they don’t think about their own emotional and physical well being.
Day-to-day stress, demands of being an effective leader, enormous work load, endless travel and job responsibilities can leave little time for family and personal lives. This lifestyle eventually catches up to them, and before they realize it, they are in poor health.
Truly successful executives treat their health or health problem like another project, accepting the challenge and setting goals. Overall wellness is achieved by a plan that includes dealing with the emotional impact of stress as well as maintaining physical health.
Here are some ideas for a healthier 2009:
Develop stress resilience
- Write down your stress triggers. Make a list of the times in the past two weeks when you have felt stressed. You may see a pattern linked to specific places, people and events.
- Confront stressful interpersonal situations. If something someone has done is bothering you, don’t let it escalate. Be courageous and do something about it. Initiate open and direct dialogue that will result in a positive outcome for everyone involved.
- Consider the big picture. Overwhelming problems at work may be causing you some sleepless nights, but in comparison, you haven’t been told you have a terminal illness. That would really be stressful. Think about the worst case scenario and count your blessings; your health, your family, a winning Packer season.
- Compartmentalize. Rather than looking at your work situation as overall stress, learn to segment situations and events into components. Deal with each separately. Put the rest away mentally in a box or closet, and address them when you are ready.
- Find a way to turn it off. For immediate stress relief, when you feel your head is going to burst or your heart jump out of your chest, practice deep-breathing techniques; inhale and exhale slowly while concentrating on your breath. Establish a pattern of taking time out. Even five-minute breaks can be beneficial.
- Engage in positive activities. A varied range of non-work activities that are different from your work and are in harmony with your personal and social values can be therapeutic.
- Find social support. Don’t hold problems inside. Talk it out with somebody. Putting time and effort into supportive relationships will add to your emotional health.
- Strive for balance. Studies show that successful executives place high priority on maintaining balance with work and non-work activities. They understand the importance of family, friends, and health, and are not willing to sacrifice their home lives to advance in an organization.
- Consider working with a coach. An executive coach, life coach or health coach can be a confidential, trusted partner who is committed to your success. Your coach will provide an objective, non-judgmental, uncritical and unbiased perspective of your progress as well as support achievement of your goals.
Maintain physical health
- Exercise regularly. We all know the benefits of exercise. The difficulty is building it in to your already busy schedule. You don’t have to spend an hour at the gym to experience the benefits of physical activity. Studies show even 10-minute workouts done on a regular basis can increase endurance, lower heart rate, contribute to weight loss and promote sleep.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep is absolutely essential to your health. Your brain, heart, and other organs need to rest. Also, while you are sleeping, you release vital hormones that decrease appetite and assist in weight loss.
- Become “nutrition aware.” The quality of the food that you consume on any given day can determine your energy level, your ability to think, even your mood. Get into the habit of looking at the ingredients label on food products that you purchase. Try to stick with whole foods, free of transfats, chemicals, food colorings, white flour and sugar.
- Know your biometric numbers. We know our checking account number, ATM number, Social Security number and telephone number. Your cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index numbers are key indicators of your risk for major illness. If you know these numbers, you can take action to reduce your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other major chronic illnesses.
- Schedule preventive screenings. Getting regular check ups, preventive screening tests, and immunizations are among the most important things you can do for yourself. Check your health plan coverage for preventive screening as well as a list of recommended guidelines, and schedule regular check ups with your physician.
