When the Competition is Fierce, Staying Healthy is the Best Revenge

When business is tough and competition is fierce, life seems to move at a feverish pace, with greater importance for every decision and less time to consider the positive or negative consequences. True, some people claim to work better “under stress,” but at what cost?

Does staying longer hours guarantee that more work of the very best quality is completed? Does ignoring a dinner reservation to complete a project ensure a better relationship with your client or family? Do back-to-back-to-back networking events leave you with enough energy to enjoy the “little things”?

Overworking yourself just to stay neck and neck with the competition is always at the cost of your health. You sacrifice the importance of sleep, nutrition, and meaningful social interaction if you lock yourself in the office and are too self-demanding. Staying healthy is the best revenge, of course!

Use these three tips to improve your work-life balance, stay healthy, and get ahead in business:

Don’t work too much overtime.
Sometimes staying at the office after hours is unavoidable, and there are projects that require 10-11-12 hour days (or weekends!). But overtime should not be the fall-back for managing your productivity during normal business hours. Arriving early and staying late saps the energy and attention you must give to your coworkers. If you can, delegate certain tasks, and you and everyone else will likely work a shorter day. Divide and conquer!

Get up and stretch (and even exercise).
Sitting for too long and staring at a computer screen has very scary consequences. It is important to relieve your body, relax your eyes, and get your blood flowing through those veins. You will be a healthier employee if you can find ten minutes each hour to stretch those limbs – or even a half hour during the day to elevate that heart rate!

Eat well and get your sleep.
Have you ever said, “I have no time to think about food,” and then ordered a bacon cheeseburger to your desk? Well, cut that out! There are plenty of healthy food options that provide more nutrition and less cholesterol. (There are even healthy energy foodstuffs like nuts and fruit, so put down the soda.) Be sure to get a good night’s sleep, too. It is unwise to remain awake “past your bedtime” because it affects your mood and motivation the next day.

Of course, you should consult a dietician to give you more examples of what and when and how to eat. But all of these tips, taken together, will ensure your life at the office is as healthy as can be if you manage and plan accordingly.