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For most of us, survival depends on making it through the daily rat race. From the moment we wake up and clock in, it’s game time. Modern living is a constant, fast-paced barrage of high-pressure situations, cut-throat deadlines and an accumulation of stress.
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The term “9-to-5” simply indicates a generalized time frame. It does nothing to highlight the massive amounts of energy exerted to accomplish what needs to be accomplished in those eight hours of corporate combat. It also ignores the fact that in order to really get the job done, you often need more than just the 9-to-5.
Because of this steadfast focus on sustaining a fruitful professional career, life’s other objectives tend to fall to the wayside. Some sacrifice social interaction for professional growth. They become wealthy yet totally inept in a group or even family setting. Some forget to have fun, unable to even partake of the fruits of their labor — “all work and no play,” as the saying goes. But above all this, one of the greatest travesties of the modern professional is the disregard for health and well-being in favor of career advancement.
It’s an all-too-familiar archetype: the most driven and hard-working professionals may sometimes be the unhealthiest. It’s almost as if the higher up the corporate totem pole you climb, the less attention you pay to your personal well-being.
It might seem a fair trade-off — a bit of fat around the belly here, a bit of diabetes and hypertension there, but hey, you’re rich and your business is succeeding. But that isn’t a fair trade-off. In fact, it’s counter-intuitive and a big, fat myth. When I was first starting my real estate business, my life was completely unbalanced as I focused almost 100% of my time and effort to my business. This took a personal toll, and since that realization I’ve been committed to weekly health education, proper nutrition and exercise.
Some of the most successful real estate professionals I’ve met have very strict health and fitness protocols. Sure, they aren’t chiseled pro athletes, but you may be surprised to find out that some of the men and women at the top of the corporate ladder engage in their own strict wellness initiatives, and here’s why.
1. A Well-Oiled Professional Machine
An old expression tells us “you are what you eat.” When I started eating less junk and more nutritionally rich food, I noticed my energy level increased, and I was more motivated and excited to get out into the field, do my work and grow my business.
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2. Fewer Missed Opportunities
I noticed when I started eating healthier and exercising regularly, I got sick much less frequently. To me, being sick less often means I am more productive and my business benefits, because I’m not forced to miss work days or not perform to the best of my abilities when I’m on the job.
3. Set A Positive Standard
When functioning in a team environment, especially as a leader or business owner, how you conduct yourself significantly informs how those around you conduct themselves. A healthy co-worker challenges his peers to examine their choices, and a boss who prioritizes personal well-being sets the tone for the workforce to do the same.
When I learned to live healthier, everyone in my company noticed because I seemed to always be in a better mood. I became more reliable and pleasurable to work with, inspiring confidence and enthusiasm in my team. This has taught me that leading by example has a positive impact on your team.
4. The Pursuit Of Happiness
All this being said, one underpinning reason behind staying healthy while building or growing your real estate business is happiness. We often dial out of ourselves when we gear up for the daily grind over and over. For a lot of us, this is to the point where we forget why we’re grinding to begin with. But we go to work so we can make money. We make money so we can live. And we live so we can enjoy a healthy, happy life.
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Focus on the quality of the life you want to live. It’s important to have balance in your life between work and self. By implementing a regimen of measures that nourish and support your body, you might just feel better, have more energy and be more productive.
Final Words
Whether through team wellness plans or general lifestyle habits, prioritizing your health is just as important to a successful and productive career as networking or marketing. Don’t make the false assumption that looking after your health can come after the bottom line — otherwise, you may never get the chance to enjoy the results of all your hard work.