AgenteNews Insurance Producer's Online Resource
Financial professionals tend to become all-consumed in their business, allowing their physical fitness to fall to the bottom of their priority list. While a common occurrence, this habit may sabotage the success of your business—and your health. Being a financial professional takes lots of energy, more than many other careers, and being healthy and physically fit is vital to maintaining the valuable source of energy you need to keep up with your business.
If you’re not fit, neither is your business!
Do you understand how fitness impacts your business? If you’re not fit, neither is your business. Regardless of how hectic your schedule may be, it’s imperative to the success of both your business and personal health to make time to exercise each and every day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults need an average of 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week in order to experience the health benefits of exercise. If you’re like most financial professionals, your schedule is likely packed to the max, but consider how empty your schedule would be if you were forced to take time off for serious health reasons.
Taking 45 minutes, three days a week, to exercise is a small piece of your weekly schedule and should become as large of a priority as eating or breathing. Your body is counting on you to give it what it gives you every day—vitality. While it may seem that exercising takes more energy than you’ve got at the moment, you’d be surprised how much additional energy you’d have from exercising.
While on a break, even 15 minutes of exercise to give your brain a rest can be beneficial. Doing sit-ups, push-ups, running around the block or going up and down the stairs in the building counts as exercise. When you are taking a mental break, get some exercise time in and take advantage of that time.
If you don’t have enough time to exercise during your lunch break or after you close up shop for the evening, consider waking up an hour earlier just three days a week to work in an hour of exercise. Many financial professionals find their energy peaks when they exercise in the morning and it sets the tone for the rest of their day. Alternatively, if you’re a night owl, consider exercising at night and taking advantage of the services offered at a local 24-hour gym. Some people find exercise to be a healthy way to release stress after a long day of work. Regardless of when you choose to exercise, “just do it” (yes, I borrowed from Nike).
Diet and Nutrition
As a financial professional, you’re always on the go. This likely means you don’t have the chance to sit down and enjoy a proper meal as much as you’d like. While refueling on empty calories may seem necessary and harmless, feasting on the wrong foods can actually cause your already low energy to plummet. Fat- and sugar-laden foods will drain your energy and in turn decrease your productivity. It may surprise you, but being in poor physical fitness does negatively impact your business! If you’re trying to stay fit for your life and your business, you may want to steer clear of the morning donut or the mid-afternoon fast food run.
Aim for three balanced meals per day with an additional healthy snack as needed. Be sure the first meal of the day, breakfast, is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. If you are on the road for most of the day, pack a small cooler in your car with healthy snacks or a small meal. If you get stuck in traffic, you won’t be tempted to get junk food on the run.
As a rule of thumb, you should consciously saturate your diet with protein, vitamins and minerals. Eating a small, balanced meal at least three times a day should help minimize cravings. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish; and consume red meat sparingly. For more resources about your diet, head to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
Be wary of caffeine!
Let’s be honest, most of us seem to drink more caffeine and energy drinks than we should. If you fall into that group, put the caffeine down. Instead of downing an energy drink, reach for a cup of water. Consuming too much caffeine will dehydrate your body and encourage a whole host of other issues, including insomnia. On the other hand, water will hydrate your body, promote a better complexion, flush out toxins, and can be consumed in high quantities without nasty side effects.
As a financial professional, you more than likely lead a hectic lifestyle. Attending meetings, managing your business and constantly being on the run require you to be in tiptop physical shape. Refuel your body with nutritious food so that it can in turn provide you with the energy for leading such jam-packed days. The bottom line is that if you’re not fit, neither is your business.
