Staying Healthy Takes Planning
I recently returned from vacation and went into the office. I spent last week on the ski slopes in Utah, and it was great for my physical and mental health. When I was getting ready to get back to work, I reviewed my calendar and realized I had some type of doctor or health appointment on it for each day this week.
These were either to maintain my health, update current issues or explore new ones. The older we get, the more important our health becomes. We all need to prioritize time for rest and adventure so we can return to work with renewed energy and enthusiasm.
We all need to take time every day to take care of ourselves. Part of our work life needs to include planning time off, regular medical checkups, some type of regular exercise, and, of course, what we all dread doing: watching our diets. It sounds simple, and it could be if we make these issues part of our weekly calendar.
On Monday, walk for 10 minutes; on Tuesday, skip sweets, etc. At work, we always talk about continuous improvement, making incremental improvements daily. We can apply this business strategy to our health as well.
It is important to educate your employees on all the benefits of your company’s health plan, especially the wellness parts that most plans offer today. This includes yearly checkups, dietary advice, and more. Employees should not just use the plan when they are sick. The benefits of a healthy workforce extend beyond individual employees to the overall productivity and profitability of the organization.
I hope to use my calendar from this vacation for more than business and medical appointments, adding more personal health appointments. I aim to be healthy and in shape for another great ski adventure next year.