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Coping with the intensity of running a business – whether you are a solopreneur, a creative, or a leader of a large company – may be physically and mentally taxingNot only can severe stress reduce the success of your online business, but research shows that it could possibly also up to three years from your life. As the creator and founding father of a tech startup, this got here to me a few years ago.
Between scaling my business and becoming a father, I developed behaviors that were negatively impacting my sleep, focus, and overall well-being. Part of my motivation for staying healthy is to be fit and able to do all the fun things while my kids are growing up—dancing at their weddings, playing with their grandkids (if they have any), or just maintaining with them in their very own sports. That’s a goal I don’t want to compromise.
I read more about period of health —not only how long we live, but how long we live healthily—and I knew I had to make some changes. Like many others, I turned to the usual suspects: exercise and food regimen. But that also meant reexamining my relationship with other aspects, including alcohol and screen time.
I’ve slowly been working on creating healthier habits in all of those areas. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that it takes a lot of trial and error to determine what works and how to make good habits stick. So for any leader, creator, or entrepreneur looking to make positive health changes for the long run, here’s what worked for me (and what didn’t):
Embrace flexibility
For some people, breaking bad habits in the cold is the only way. For me, not necessarily. I quickly learned that I am not an all-or-nothing type. It seems that when it comes to building latest habits, top performers strive for consistency over perfection.
The flexible approach is how I managed to almost completely eliminate alcohol, which was wreaking havoc on my sleep. How? By adopting a mantra: “Not tonight.” I told myself I was just going to quit drinking for now, not eternally—and I did for months. If I got here across a good wine, I’d allow myself a few sips (which I don’t recommend if you have an addiction problem). I could enjoy the satisfaction of the taste without having to stay awake all night.
I am not alone in this approach. The focus on personal exploration and gradual change as opposed to strict rules is a hallmark of the growing sober curiosity movement. It is exciting to see the advantages of voluntary sobriety discussed more, in addition to other leaders sharing their experiences along the way.
Gamify your goals
The healthcare gamification market is expected to reach $15.9 billion by 2030. Why? It’s an approach that works. Research shows that using a leaderboard to track your progress or receiving virtual gold stars for each milestone you reach can dramatically increase your motivation to keep going.
I’ll be the first to admit it: Getting motivated to work out before or after a long day at work may be tough. So using my Apple Watch was a smart way to gamify my workouts and challenge myself. I began small, with just five minutes a day, and then increased to half-hour five days a week. Seeing my streak of success tracked on my watch kept me going (and I also embraced the flexibility of when my battery died and I had to start over).
I also found an app that helped me gamify my calorie tracking. I’m not the type to live on greens and almonds, but gamifying my goal encouraged me to add more nutrient-dense foods to my food regimen (hello sardines for breakfast!). And that made all the difference in getting quick results.
Pay attention to peer, research and community influences
As the founding father of a company that helps creators share their knowledge with the world, it comes as no surprise that I’m a big advocate for looking for out content, resources, and expert knowledge. learning communities to master latest skills and increase your sense of responsibility.
Observing individuals who did what I wanted to do was obvious. And the research backs it up: Peers and Social Relationships (*4*)they may be powerful allies in building healthy habits.
For me, that meant adding health experts and authors to my media mix and delving deeper into the science behind changing habits. Leaders like Ray Dalio helped me see how results could make me higher at my role as CEO.
Accept that not all strategies work (but only some need to)
I won’t pretend that my journey has been completely smooth. For every strategy I’ve tried, there’s been at least one that hasn’t worked. It’s essential to acknowledge that failure is just as much a a part of the process as success.
It’s also a reality that some behaviors are just much harder to break. Which brings me to my current goal and what I’ve struggled with the most: limiting screen time. The evidence clearly shows that too much time spent on digital devices is just as bad for adults How this is for childrenleading to sleep disturbances, reduced physical activity and a greater risk of depression and anxiety.
Of course, like many others, I work for a company that requires me to be online. That implies that completely shutting down isn’t an option (nor, to be honest, desirable). Instead, I’m trying to optimize my screen time by being more intentional about what I devour and when I devour it. I’ve deleted apps from my phone and try to put it away in the evenings (at least until the kids are in bed), but I’ve also accepted that exceptions will likely be the norm here — and I think that’s okay, too.
It’s been 10 years since I first began down the path of building healthier habits. My biggest takeaway for anyone looking to do the same is that it’s a marathon, not a sprint—when habits are for life, you have to always tweak them along the way.
But there was a silver lining I didn’t expect: balance. That deep sense of calm in the face of stress and the quiet confidence that comes from being the leader (and person) I’ve all the time admired: focused, present, and higher able to handle whatever life — and business — throws at me.