Running a business can be hard work. As sole traders we wear many hats & try to do as much as possible ourselves before we realize we have to give up control on some things in order to do the things we are good at & let others do the things they’re good at so we succeed. Otherwise we would be working non-stop & have no life.
We create stress that builds up until our bodies break down. You don’t want to get to that point, it’s really hard to come back from. Stress is a major factor in our lives, that if left untreated, can cause serious harm or illness, disease & death. So what can you do to prevent this?
There are many things luckily, you just have to acknowledge, accept & take action.
1. Get good nutrition
2. Exercise
3. Get 7 to 8hrs sleep
4. Hydrate
5. Relax
Are you eating the bare minimum of 2 fruit & 5 vegetables a day for basic health? Or do you eat processed foods, fast foods, takeaway, whatever you can get your hands on because you don’t have time or can’t be bothered? Wholefood nutrition is key for energy & your immune system. Do you exercise 6 days a week?
A minimum of 15mins a day raising your heart rate & breathing heavy is required. Find something you like to do, add a minimum of 2 days resistance training & you’re good. If you feel & look good, so will your business. Anything 6hrs & under a night regularly is unhealthy & dangerous. It can be the equivalent of driving 0.05 & I’m tipping you wouldn’t go to work drunk.
It affects our cognitive abilities so you won’t perform your best at work. There are so many things you can do to improve your sleep so try them. If you are dehydrated by as little as 2% it affects your general performance. Often when you feel tired you just need water.
Same when you feel hungry, start with water. Our bodies are 80% water so obviously we need to replace it when we sweat, urinate plus all of our bodily functions rely on water to run smoothly.

Finally we need to relax! That S word (stress) is way too prevalent in our lives & it wreaks havoc with our bodies. You have to learn to switch off work mode & find an activity you enjoy each day, spend time with your family, read, meditate, laugh & change your mindset. Discuss these 5 points & share what you like to do, what are your tips & tricks that others might like to take on board to help them. All of this reflects on our business, so make it shine! 
Guest Author: Carolyn Smith Contact: www.inspiredfitnesssolutions.com.au

​That’s right, structurally, we are made for movement, not being still & especially not sitting. We are created for movement, we need to move as much as possible, otherwise problems arise. And it’s not just back & hip issues, or our expanding butts & waistlines or poor posture & bad necks.

I want you to  think about how you can fit more movement into your day & maybe inspire you to get outside doing it. Exercise & variety is so important to everyone.

Fitness has been shown to play such an important part in our brain performance, mental & emotional health, prevention of disease & recovery. Being fit & improving overall wellbeing can help increase confidence in individuals, which can have a huge impact on their career success which is bigger than having the perfect body.

We know exercise releases endorphins that make us feel good & decrease stress, so why isn’t everyone doing it 6 days a week? Why are people still finding excuses?

It doesn’t have to be hard core workouts. Finding something you enjoy is the key. Although resistance training is the best thing, you can still do just 2 x 30min sessions a week & whatever else you like for the other days. Pick any recreational sport or hobby that involves moving a lot, whether it be tennis, table tennis, golf (without the cart), bowling, dancing. Not video games or board games where you are sitting.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australian women - at three times the rate of breast cancer. The good news? There's an easy way to cut your risk. You can probably guess some of the main risk factors for heart disease. But what's the number one cause? Inactivity!

If you have a lot of work meetings, maybe you could get a tall table to stand around, or take your mtg outside & walk while you talk. It’s not that crazy, & getting the fresh air will do you even more good.

So most people go from a heated house to car to office & back in their car to home & maybe a stop at the gym. All heated environments where germs fester & we get everyone’s colds etc. It’s been proven that those who get more daily fresh air (especially ocean air) live a longer & healthier life. Inhaling fresh air helps clear your lungs and enables you to take deeper, longer breaths of air -- which increases the amount of oxygen that's transported to your body's cells. Oxygen improves our mood, our brain function & increases our energy.

Then there’s the other big thing called the Sun. Spending about 30 minutes in the sun can provide you with nearly a day's supply of vitamin D through skin absorption. Having enough vitamin D in your body helps your bones form properly, which reduces your risk of developing bone diseases such as osteoporosis. 

According to research, people show more physical signs of relaxation -- including lower blood pressure and lower amounts of the stress hormone cortisol -- when they spent time in the forest rather than in the city.
Sunlight is also thought to help ward off depression and stress because the "happy" chemical serotonin is higher in the brain during the time of year when days are longer.
SO HOW CAN YOU INTRODUCE MORE INCIDENTAL EXERCISE INTO YOUR DAY?

• • Don’t forget that incidental exercise adds up, like walking to the supermarket instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift.
• • Talking on the telephone? Instead of sitting down, walk around while you chat. If you’re on your mobile, a brisk walk around the block or local park.
• • Use your ad breaks! There’s at least eight minutes of ads per 30 minutes of television watched, so spend that time doing star jumps, abs, using your foam roller, going up and down your stairs or dancing with the kids. Just get moving.
• • Take a five minute stretching break instead of a coffee break at work
• • Take the kids to the park on the weekend. Ride bikes or scooters. Be an example to your kids.
• • Go for a bush walk with friends instead of the BBQ (have a BBQ in the park after instead)
• • Get out in the garden. Spend some time each week planting, watering and tending to your garden. Mow the lawn! It will work up a sweat.
• • Be more active in the workplace – walk to the printer, instead of sending an email, walk to the person’s desk rather than call, stand up rather than sit when answering the phone, keep a glass of water on your desk & the big bottle in the break room so you have to keep filling up.
• • Park further away. Choose the furthest car space in the carpark, or better still, leave the car at home and walk to the shops.
• • Join your work colleagues for a lunchtime walk, swim or sports game once a week.
• • Get a dog that has to be walked!

Remember, incidental exercise is on top of your work out.

Guest Author: Carolyn Smith  www.inspiredfintnesssolutions.com.au