A new year and new entrepreneurial health

Editor’s note: Michelle Stockman is an independent consultant with her company, Fort Smith-based Msaada Group. Stockman earned a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University-Chicago in communications and fine arts, and earned a master’s in entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University. Her thoughts on business success appear each week on The City Wire.

In this time of making new commitments to oneself and to others, a common theme is to commit to new diets, kicking bad habits or eating healthier. Seldom do we hear about people trying to start career habits that are focused on maintaining good physical and mental health.

While most adults find it difficult to fit home cooked meals and daily exercise into the day planner, Chris Brogan recently provided these tips on the OPEN Forum by American Express blog:
• Step Away from the Desk
Get away from the computer, phone, smartphone and the piles of paper on your desk to walk around the office, house, neighborhood, parking lot or the store next door. Stepping away from the work (while there doesn’t seem to be a spare second in your day) will allow you to rest your eyes, mind and help the body to get the blood moving. Taking that second to get up and move around will allow your brain to see differently and think differently, which opens new opportunities to solve problems.

• Learn Something
If your smartphone can absorb podcasts, stick some on there. If not, take your iPod (or whatever), and load up some learning.” In this knowledge age, opportunities to learn something new abound around every corner. From the internet to your local college or university, there are training opportunities from scrapbooking to word working to professional development courses that could give your business another competitive advantage.

• Mobile Multitasking
If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you might be able to work through your inbox while walking briskly. Grab your smart phone and walk somewhere (with little traffic or crosswalks in your way) and clear out email while walking. Step away from the florescent lights surrounding your desk and get some natural sunshine on your face while working on email replies. Have access to a treadmill or other stationary cardio equipment? Then catch up on your reading while exercising (trade journals, blogs, newspapers, etc.).

• Drink water
While caffeine helps to jump start any foggy morning brain, reach for the water as a well hydrated body is the liquid source of energy we all take for granted.

• Brown Bag It
Bring your own lunch to work when you can. You’ll not only save a few bucks, but you’ll be able to pack it with healthier foods while controlling the portion sizes. Granted it may take some forward thinking to prepare the lunch, but it will allow your body a break from another round of French fries.

Running a business demands a lot, managing your health will allow you to keep pace with those demands. Becoming the next P90X grad may not be your thing, but maintaining your health is good news to all of us. Maintaining your mental acumen will not only help you stay on top of business today, but it will pay off in your retirement years.

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Stockman can be reached at [email protected]