To be successful in business, daily effort is required. 

So when it comes to our health, why do many of us opt in for the quick fix? The juice cleanse, a 10- week challenge… we want something to get us to where we want to be as quick as possible.

Would you expect your business to be making and maintaining a profit in a short space of time? The easy wins are great and enjoyable, but they don’t produce sustainable profit for your business – or results for your health.

One of the keys to business success is sustainable cashflow. We aim to make decisions each day, each week, to improve company cashflow, which will hopefully result in a profit at the end of the year.

We can think of our energy levels like cashflow – consider what you could achieve if you were able to increase your energy levels throughout the year, little by little.

Here are five practical tips from Emma Goldstraw from Emma G Total Health to help you generate a better ‘health cashflow’:

Make it easy for yourself: Slot achievable tasks into your day. You’re not reaching for the stars by suddenly jumping into a crazy exercise schedule. You may begin with a simple 15 minute walk at lunchtime for you and your team.

Aim to slide new behaviours into your day seamlessly – can you add in a healthy habit on top of a current habit? This process of habit stacking enables you to anchor your new behaviour on top of a habitual one, such as doing 10 squats while brushing your teeth or standing while every time you talk on the phone.

Planning: Take some time each week to plan out your health week, even habit stack it and complete at the same time you’re planning out your work week.

A rough plan is required for success in business and in your health. Have a glance into your obstacles for the week – what are the pressure points where you may not have the head space to choose the healthy snack or fit in that 30-minute walk. You could prepare premade snacks and go for a 10-minute walk, or you may scrap the walk that day and double up the next day. This health stuff needs to work for you; you do you and what works for you.

Check in with yourself: Is what you are doing sustainable? Is it working for you? Have check ins with yourself monthly and consider if the current plan is working. Is what you are doing taking you towards your goals, increasing energy and improved health. If not, scrap the plan. Knowing when to bin an idea is key to a profitable business, so try things, experiment, check in and then change to lead you to success.

Seek help: In business we network, find mentors, attend trainings, develop ourselves; knowledge and connection are power in business growth and success. You may be an expert in your chosen field but feel confused about what’s best for your health and fitness. Such an abundance of information on the internet can lead to more puzzlement.

Ask for help, research and find the person that can help you get started. It doesn’t need to be forever – pick someone who resonates with you and start the discussion. The first person may not be the person, so repeat process until you get some quality support that engages you.

Get your team on board: Round up all the important people in your life who can complement what you ae trying to do. Tell your friends, colleagues and family members what you are wanting to achieve for yourself. Spend more time with the positive people who will support you by meeting up for walks, booze-free nights and nutritious meals. Getting your family on board helps with meal and activity time, and makes health goals easier to achieve when your environment is set up for success.  

All of our businesses vary, so a different approach is needed to achieve your idea of success for your business. The same applies to your health. As individuals, our health desires and goals are unique. The common denominator is that we can all improve our health for a better business because a healthier you will lead to a healthier you in all the different areas of your life.

Introducing ‘Your Health is Your Business’, a new approach to thinking about your health and wellbeing as a business owner.  

Established by two local health coaches and Chamber members, Dahl from Nrgized Health & Nutrition, and Emma from Emma G Total Health, this collaborative project is focusing on five key aspects associated with healthy living: sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, and emotional resilience. The pair will also be promoting the importance of prioritising self-care, to ensure your health really is your business.  

 We asked Dahl and Emma to provide some advice to our Chamber members, starting with this introductory piece from Dahl looking at the correlation between how you look after your business and your health. We will add more articles over the coming months.