Small business owners are notoriously busy people. And determined and driven people can sometimes find themselves excluding all other activities in order to focus solely on developing their product. There’s a reason the word “busy” is in business. (Sort of.) It often feels like there is not enough time in the day, so how can entrepreneurs take time out for themselves?
Research carried out on behalf of E.ON has found that 41% of business owners keep track of their weight, diet or exercise performance. So how can you make your day healthier, while maintaining - or in some cases increasing - your productivity?
Eat a balanced and healthy diet
For Tomas Snarskis, founder of My Music House, a site to download and stream electronic music, eating well plays a massive part in his productivity. “I work about 18 hours a day. That’s a long day.” About nine of those hours are spent on My Music House, the other hours are spent earning money in his day job. When he was working very long hours over the summer he put on six kilograms, so Snarskis has realised how important it is to cut back. “I don’t have time to exercise, so I need to eat very well. I’ve given up caffeine, and I drink water instead of alcohol. Occasionally I’ll drink matcha tea, but otherwise my diet is very simple. For breakfast I eat avocado, egg, and wholegrain toast. That keeps me going until about 2pm. I’ll eat another meal then - usually rice and vegetables - and I won’t eat anything after 6pm. If I feel peckish I’ll just drink some water. I found that eating after 6pm made me feel very sluggish and unproductive.”
Caroline Keighley, a nutritionist and founder of Nutritional Needs thinks that hydration is key: “Good hydration is really important – 1.5 to 2 litres of water and/or herbal teas. About 70% of the brain is water and as little as 1% dehydration can begin to affect cognitive function.” She also recommends plenty of snacks, which should be eaten every three-four hours to keep your energy levels up. “Meals should be well balanced and contain protein. (Too many refined carbohydrates and sugars can leave you feeling sluggish and tired).”
Get involved in extracurricular activities
‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ goes the saying. And this equally applies to adults. Do you remember being encouraged to be academically brilliant while also being Grade 8 at piano and playing county sport? It’s no different now. Taking up a hobby will help you to close down the part of your mind that is incessantly turning over the things that need to be done to your business. Get away from it all, allow yourself space and time to think creatively and be creative, and your ideas will flourish. Hopefully along with your business. As well as broadening your mind, taking up or rediscovering an old hobby will give you something to chat to clients about, deepening your bond. Even picking up a favourite old novel can transform your day, and give your brain that downtime that it’s probably craving. This month is national writing month: if you crave creativity, but aren’t sure where to start, why not write the book you wish you could read? Stimulate your brain and gain credibility as an author!
Get pumping the iron
Exercise helps to improve memory function and productivity, a study conducted by the University of British Columbia found. For this reason, it’s so important to fit at least thirty minutes of exercise into your day. This is will get blood flowing to your brain, invigorate you, and get you ready for the day ahead. Emily McMahon, a freelance writer, can’t start work until she’s been for a thirty minute run around the neighbourhood. “It’s not a long run, and I often take the same route, but it gives me some headspace to make a list of my daily priorities. It also tires me out enough to tie me to my desk for a few hours. If I didn’t do any exercise I’d be really jumpy all day and it would be hard to focus.”
Briony Miles, founder of www.brionyjfitness.com , says: “It’s really important to keep your fitness up, especially if you work from home, as you’re not out and about getting your heart rate up. Studies have shown that exercise helps combat the stress that work causes-when stressed, the hormone cortisol is released, and exercise is a great way to beat this! Even a short, 20 minute burst of exercise can help you refresh, re-energise and re-focus so that you’re more productive, and function at your best.”
Get zen and meditate your way into productivity
Mindfulness is the buzzword of 2014. It means to be more aware of oneself and one’s surroundings, so we think it’s particularly applicable to small business owners. Mental health charity Mind recommends adopting meditation in order to combat stress and reduce anxiety. Tobias Anchus runs his own business designing door knobs, and finds that when the phone doesn’t stop ringing, he just needs to get away from day to day life. “I went through several months of existing on about four hours sleep a night. I was a wreck. My friends were worried and I ran out of creative ideas.” He went with a friend to a mindfulness class and now meditates regularly. Anchus believes meditation and taking time to appreciate the small things in life have led him to become a far more positive person. “When I chat to customers I feel lighter. Before I used to think the times I wasn’t designing were stressful. Now, I relish those times, and think my business has flourished simultaneously.”
Content on this page is paid for and produced to a brief agreed with E.ON, sponsor of the Efficiency hub.
