Healthy Life, Healthy Business

An active business life is not always the best conduit for an active physical life.

I’m not what most people would consider overweight. But like most people, finding time to work out and eat right needs continual attention and vigilance on my end. Constantly dining with clients at great restaurants while on business trips is a tough thing to discipline against when you love food like I do. Put a basket of freshly baked bread in front of me and I'm a goner.

I love athletics, too, but it’s harder to organize a pickup game of basketball than it is to pick up some terrific Chinese for takeout. Still, as I’ve matured I’ve become increasingly obsessed with how to balance my health with my business: I’ve hired a trainer, worked out daily, biked, boxed, basketballed, all while reading book after book about meditation and body performance.

So the other day I was sitting at the gym and decided to introduce myself to a guy I’d seen there many times. We’d never met, but he was about my age and in fantastic shape, and I wanted to know what he does to stay so fit.

The guy was surprised at first when I approached him, but quickly warmed up to me. He told me his name was Jason. As we were talking, he pulled out an old picture from his wallet and said, “I used to weigh 310 pounds. Now I am down to 165.”

I was obviously blown away, and grateful to hear his story, but it got me thinking about other insights on the topic of wellness and business and how successful people balance the two. Here’s what I found:

Make working out a priority. In order to be prepared mentally for the ever-changing business world, you should be prepared physically so every aspect of your being is at its peak. You need to make and keep working out a priority. And it might take a constant boot in the butt to get you there. According to a WSJ article, Ron Shaich, the CEO of Panera Bread, hired a trainer “to force himself to work out….The workout consists of running or swimming in his indoor or outdoor pool for one hour, two to three times a week.”

Be consistent with your habits when you are traveling. Speaking with several executives, I have heard everything from morning runs to dawn yoga, regardless; even when traveling, consistency is critical. Fab.com CEO Jason Goldberg says, "I start my day at 6 every morning, and the first thing I do is check overnight emails. Our technology team is based in India, so they're ahead of us. After I respond to any urgent emails, I do my morning run on the treadmill at a full steep incline for 30 minutes. I try not to think about work. Instead, I watch TV shows on my iPad.”

If you cannot get out in the morning, get out during lunch. I have come to realize that any time is a good time to work out as long as you do it with focus and rigor. For example, Evan Williams, founder of high-profile companies like Blogger, Twitter and Medium, says "My focus is usually great first thing in the morning, so going to the gym first is a trade off of very productive time. Instead, I’ve started going mid-morning or late afternoon (especially on days I work late). It feels weird (at first) to leave the office in the middle of the day, but total time spent is nearly the same with higher energy and focus across the board."

Meditate to stay focused.I recently downloaded the app Calm.com, it is great for relaxing and focusing on your body during stressful situations. I’ve read about several different executives who vouch for yoga, including Paul English of Kayak, who says, "I usually meditate for a few minutes to quiet my mind before I get out of bed. After I check e-mail on my BlackBerry, I go exercise. I've been practicing yoga for about 10 years. I built a meditative room in my house."

Seek professional help. I know we have all said we can find a way to stay healthy ourselves. Hell, we were all young once; why can't we reclaim our youth on our own? But it doesn’t work that way. While I don’t think a trainer is required all of the time, seeking professional advice is a smart move. I have reached out to many fitness professionals, and one of the best books I’ve read was Nutriscribe, by Kusha Karvandi, the GM of San Diego’s Fit Fitness. What I love about this book is the story it tells about your body and how to ensure you eat the right food at the right time.

Photo: iStock