As a business owner, your mind is occupied with many things and all too often your own health and wellness are not one of them, or at least towards the bottom of the to-do list.  Between phone calls, meetings, appointments, and the exciting projects we are working on usually mean we don’t have time for anything else.  Sounding familiar?  

Working long, tiring days where your brain is operating in full gotta grow my business mode usually leaves you stressed, drained and just feeling like #@%$.  Time for a daily workout and three nutrient-rich and home-cooked meals is only a dream, right?  Well luckily dreams can come true and even if you don’t think you have enough hours in the day, these five wellness tips will get you (and keep you) feeling good so you can get back to that growing to-do list.  Because let’s face it, if you don’t work then neither will that business of yours.  

5 Wellness Tips For Business Owners

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Drink Water

Make this a priority because your body and your mind run off this stuff.  Always have water with you.  If you will be out of the house all day then maybe pack two water bottles with you so know you will have enough.  Here is why proper hydration is important for you (and your business, see what I did there ;):  

– Boosts your immune system 
– It helps with digestion
– Reduces hunger
– Great for aches and pains
– Natural remedy for headaches
– Relieves fatigue

In America, 75% of the citizens are living in a dehydrated state.  Imagine how productive we would be if we just drank a bit more water.

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Make smoothies for breakfast

Having a smoothie at breakfast is the fastest way for me personally to “eat” in the morning but still get a lot of those nutritional powerhouse ingredients to ensure my day starts in the right direction.

Here is an easy recipe for you:

1 small cucumber peeled and chopped
1 small handful of spinach or kale
1 banana, peeled
½ cup blueberries
3 Tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon ground matcha green tea powder
1 cup nondairy milk of choice
A few ice cubes if desired

Blend all ingredients together until mixed well.

This vegetable and fruit-packed smoothie is a nutritious meal and can be drank on the go if needed.  The matcha green tea powder gives you a helpful boost of energy so your productivity can start early.  

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Exercise

Exercise not only benefits your body but it also benefits your mental health.  Exercise helps provide us with sharper memory and thinking skills, increasing our self-esteem, helps us sleep better, gives us more energy, and helps us manage stress in a healthier way.

Whether you are a runner, walker, dancer, weight lifter, or swimmer, moving your body for at least 30 minutes a day is key.

If you can’t squeeze in 30 minutes at once, aim for 15 minutes in the morning and the other 15 minutes during the evening.

If you are someone who watches tv you can also take one move and complete it during a commercial break.  For example, how many push-ups can you do during a commercial?  Or how many jumping jacks can you complete during that time?

On Netflix?  Don’t use that as an excuse to not try this trick.  Pause at a point, set your timer for 2 minutes and then complete your workout before turning that tv back on.  

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Prep ingredients, not whole meals

Plan out your meals for the week using real food and real ingredients.  It not only saves time and money, but it will allow you to get healthier meals on the table.  Healthier meals mean that you keep your immune system in the best condition as well.

How to prep ingredients:
-Wash and cut your veggies as soon as you get home from the store.
-Have some roasted veggies on hand for the week.  These can easily be added to salads, rice or pasta dishes, and are easy to grab and go.
-Cook one large batch of rice or quinoa and keep it in the fridge to have on hand.
-Keep a simple plan for the week.
-Get pretty containers to store stuff in.  I can’t be the only one that loves when the fridge is full of pretty containers… am I?

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Eat mindfully

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘mindful eating’?

It is eating slowly and without distractions.

As business owners, our day to day lives are rushed.  We often skip breakfast, our lunch breaks are short, our dinners are rushed because we have commitments and due to that fact, we often stuff as much food into our mouths as we possibly can. After chewing it a couple of times we top it off with a big chug of water.

In mindful eating, we set aside a set amount of time and eat SLOWLY. Being mindful to chew our food as much as we can. 

Here is my challenge for you:

– Pick (at least) one night a week, more is better (!! 😉) where you sit at the table with no distractions for at least 30 minutes. 

– Enjoy your food and your company. Talk to each other between bites. Actually, taste the food and enjoy what you made.  I once read that the ideal number is to chew your bite 50 times. Yup!  You read that right.  I have never been able to do that either but I suggest chewing more than a few times.

What else can you do to help with eating mindfully?

Sit down and eat because you need to be relaxed in order to properly digest your food. People can only digest in one meal the amount of food that would fit in a bowl the same size as our hands cupped together.   Crazy right!?

These tips are pretty basic and most likely nothing you have not heard before but short posts like this are important because they remind us about things we should be doing and habits we should be forming.  Work can easily consume our day but the truth is your body is what will get you through it and the more fuel and attention you give it, the better you and your business will be.