Looking after Yourself as an Over 50s Business Owner Manchester
As a general rule business owners work too hard, worry too much, eat the wrong foods, often drink and smoke too much, and don’t get enough exercise. The implications of this for those aged over 50 are potentially catastrophic - so why take the risk when, as this article shows, just a few simple changes could make a huge difference to your wellbeing?
Data Provided by:
Looking after Yourself as an Over 50s Business Owner
If someone said to you that their business was hugely reliant on a highly complex and sensitive machine that could break down at any time, blasting the heart out of their enterprise, your first response would probably be “I bet you take good care of it”. You’d expect to hear that the machine was closely monitored, well-maintained, and regularly serviced in a way befitting such a crucial component…wouldn’t you?
So how is it that we, as business owners, subject our bodies – the finest and most complex piece of engineering created – to such neglect?
Research and experience show that as a general rule business owners work too hard, worry too much, eat the wrong foods, often drink and smoke too much, and don’t get enough exercise. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one! As a later life entrepreneur you could, quite literally, be dicing with death.
In talking to business owners about why they don’t do more to look after themselves, the response is always the same. “Yes, I know I ought to do things differently, but I haven’t got time.” What they’re saying is that they believe that making changes to their lifestyle will require a lot of effort.
In fact, consistently introducing a few small changes and sticking with them takes little time and is relatively easy, producing remarkable improvements in your wellbeing, short- and long-term. Here’s how it works:
The 3F Plan
First, you have to ditch the idea that the whole issue of health and fitness is complex. It’s not. You just have to keep an eye on three things:
1. Food
2. Fitness
3. Fatigue
Let’s call it your 3Fplan (like the F Plan, but three times better!). Okay, so now where do you start?
Ideally, as all the best advice will tell you, you should start with a medical check up. This will establish your current level of fitness and any specific health problems you may need to address or work round.
Blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol level, Body Mass Index (BMI) are all useful indicators of the shape you’re in and where you may need to make some changes. No doubt your GP will have some useful advice on what to do, or stop doing in order to avoid the most common ailments of heart disease, diabetes, and various types of cancer.
But, if you haven’t got time for a check up right now don’t let it be an obstacle (or excuse) for not taking action – any interim improvements you can make are bound to be beneficial.
Next write down one area under each of our 3F headings that you feel you most need to change. For example,
• Food – stop eating so much fast food
• Fitness – start taking regular exercise
• Fatigue – stop working such long hours
Achievable, immediate actions
Now translate those three objectives into small achievable actions, for example:
• Food – stop eating chips
• Fitness – take a twenty minute walk 5 days a week
• Fatigue – stop work an hour earlier each day
You’ll note the emphasis on the word ‘achievable’ in relation to these goals. There’s no point in setting yourself really challenging tasks e.g. ‘go to the gym for an hour every day’, because after the first few days, you probably won’t keep it up.
But small tasks that you know you could do quite easily if you just applied yourself are a different matter.
However, you do still have to do what you’ve decided. For now just do those three things and do them consistently for the next month until they become a habit.
Keep a daily journal of progress, write down whether or not you succeed and what helped or hindered you. If you fail, don’t beat yourself up and certainly don’t give up. Just put it behind you and start again.
Ultimately, whatever you choose to do, improving your wellbeing simply involves taking control of your life and introducing a few simple, beneficial routines to replace the bad habits you’ve slipped into.
Perseverance and commitment are all that’s required and in a matter of days you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much more energy you have to devote to your business.
Click here for more information from in my prime
So how is it that we, as business owners, subject our bodies – the finest and most complex piece of engineering created – to such neglect?
Research and experience show that as a general rule business owners work too hard, worry too much, eat the wrong foods, often drink and smoke too much, and don’t get enough exercise. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one! As a later life entrepreneur you could, quite literally, be dicing with death.
In talking to business owners about why they don’t do more to look after themselves, the response is always the same. “Yes, I know I ought to do things differently, but I haven’t got time.” What they’re saying is that they believe that making changes to their lifestyle will require a lot of effort.
In fact, consistently introducing a few small changes and sticking with them takes little time and is relatively easy, producing remarkable improvements in your wellbeing, short- and long-term. Here’s how it works:
The 3F Plan
First, you have to ditch the idea that the whole issue of health and fitness is complex. It’s not. You just have to keep an eye on three things:
1. Food
2. Fitness
3. Fatigue
Let’s call it your 3Fplan (like the F Plan, but three times better!). Okay, so now where do you start?
Ideally, as all the best advice will tell you, you should start with a medical check up. This will establish your current level of fitness and any specific health problems you may need to address or work round.
Blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol level, Body Mass Index (BMI) are all useful indicators of the shape you’re in and where you may need to make some changes. No doubt your GP will have some useful advice on what to do, or stop doing in order to avoid the most common ailments of heart disease, diabetes, and various types of cancer.
But, if you haven’t got time for a check up right now don’t let it be an obstacle (or excuse) for not taking action – any interim improvements you can make are bound to be beneficial.
Next write down one area under each of our 3F headings that you feel you most need to change. For example,
• Food – stop eating so much fast food
• Fitness – start taking regular exercise
• Fatigue – stop working such long hours
Achievable, immediate actions
Now translate those three objectives into small achievable actions, for example:
• Food – stop eating chips
• Fitness – take a twenty minute walk 5 days a week
• Fatigue – stop work an hour earlier each day
You’ll note the emphasis on the word ‘achievable’ in relation to these goals. There’s no point in setting yourself really challenging tasks e.g. ‘go to the gym for an hour every day’, because after the first few days, you probably won’t keep it up.
But small tasks that you know you could do quite easily if you just applied yourself are a different matter.
However, you do still have to do what you’ve decided. For now just do those three things and do them consistently for the next month until they become a habit.
Keep a daily journal of progress, write down whether or not you succeed and what helped or hindered you. If you fail, don’t beat yourself up and certainly don’t give up. Just put it behind you and start again.
Ultimately, whatever you choose to do, improving your wellbeing simply involves taking control of your life and introducing a few simple, beneficial routines to replace the bad habits you’ve slipped into.
Perseverance and commitment are all that’s required and in a matter of days you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel and how much more energy you have to devote to your business.
Click here for more information from in my prime