You’re too busy to worry about your health, but there is a little niggling anxiety that maybe what you’re doing is going to cost you further down the line. If that’s the case I think it’s a good little niggle to have. What I’m really concerned about is my own health span, not lifespan. I don’t want to be 100, but be really unfit and unhealthy for the last 20 years. I want to have a long fit, healthy, energetic life. I’d encourage you to think about what your health is worth to you.
If you don’t care much about it now, what do you want to be like when you’re 50, 60, 70, 80 years old? How much mobility do you want? How much independence do you want? How much do you want to be relying on other people? All of those things are really key questions.
I spoke to a prospect client a while ago and they said to me, “Actually, I’m quite concerned that the way I’m living my life today, while it feels alright now, might be costing me my future health.” I think that’s a really good point. Look at what you can do today to reap dividends in the future. Maybe it’s moving a little bit more, trying to eat a little bit better, or sleep a little bit more. Try and pay a bit more attention to the foods you eat, and the effect they have on your body.
If you’ve got quite a way to go with this, start really small – the minimal effective dose. Just look at the one little thing you could do for your health that could have a positive outcome, that takes you a little step closer to where you want to get to with your health. It’s difficult to cast our mind forward to 20, 30, 40 years, but try and do that. I had somebody else describe to me that they were really inspired by their mother-in-law who at 85 years old was still hiking across the hills of Scotland. They wanted to be like her, so now was the time that they were going to take action.
Hopefully there’s a few things in those words that motivates you, and perhaps gives you a bit of comfort that you don’t need to do huge things, small is still good.
Health is a long game ultimately, so start now. Start small, and you’ll enjoy the benefits later down the line.
What’s your Health IQ?
If you’re reading this, you might be in reasonably senior position, running your own business or have a busy life running the home and juggling other responsibilities. Either way, you’re busy!
The convergent pressures of work and family life have probably meant that the time you did have to spend on health and fitness has disappeared. Why not talk to us and see how we can help.
Leanne Spencer is an entrepreneur, coach, TEDx Speaker, author of Remove the Guesswork, and founder of Bodyshot Performance Limited. Bodyshot is a health and fitness consultancy that helps busy professionals get more energy by removing the guesswork around their health, fitness and nutrition. Visit www.bodyshotperformance.com or email [email protected] to register your interest in our services and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.