Being an entrepreneur can take its toll on your wellbeing; you’re constantly busy, running on coffee during the day and a few glasses of wine in the evenings, which is either a time in which you’re at networking events or unable to relax at home after a hectic day. But compromising your wellbeing for the sake of corporate wellness means you end up sacrificing both. Running on empty has long-term consequences to your health, happiness and business sustainability, so what can you do about it?
If your body is constantly wired and ready for ‘fight or flight’, your health suffers. Too much business determination and activity can damage your immune system, your ability to rest, your digestive system, your ability to repair, and ultimately can lead to serious health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, insomnia and muscle pain. Focussing too much on work also hinders you from connecting with others, and you will miss out on most of the small things in life that can bring so much gratefulness and joy.
According to NICE, 40% of all absenteeism in the UK is due to mental health concerns like depression, which costs the UK an estimated £36bn annually. However, ‘presenteeism’ – in which you go to work when you are ill – is estimated to exceed absenteeism in terms of lost productivity by up to 3 times, according to 2009 L&G statistics. Too much concern about work is responsible for both absenteeism and presenteeism, which, combined, are estimated to cost 16% in productivity. So what can you do to minimise these costs to your business?
Firstly, lead by example and make wellness lifestyle changes in terms of nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management techniques. Change one thing at a time, as this is a more sustainable solution. Then, turn to emotional wellness – what mood does work put you in at the moment? Is this helpful? The key to influencing and motivating others is to maintain a naturally buoyant energy and positive language, but how can you do that if you’re over-worked and stressed? If you can take care of yourself – physically and emotionally – and encourage your employees to do the same, it will make a huge difference to your wellbeing, and that of your business.
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