What is Your Number One Asset as a Business Owner?

As a business owner you have many assets. Your expertise, your client base, your brand, the list could go on. But what is your number one asset and how do you protect it?

It’s your health, of course. Without good health, your expertise, your client base and your brand will all suffer.

You need good health to be able to function effectively, be creative, productive, to have enough energy to see projects through.

However, it is all too easy to neglect your number one asset when running your own business. Client demands, commitments, family life, crises, all compete for your time and attention.

You feel you can’t justify regular breaks during the day because work is piling up! You stay up later and get up earlier in order to stay on top of things. Perhaps you’re not even sleeping as well as you used to.

Did you cancel dinner out with friends because you simply didn’t have the time or energy? How about weekends, is work seeping into Saturday and Sunday? Are you grabbing fast food on the run just to save some time?

If any of these questions resonate with you it’s time to take action. There’s no need to make drastic changes straight away. Start by making small changes.

Take regular 15 minute breaks throughout the day for a quick stroll outside, or for sitting quietly doing nothing. Rather than wasting time, you’re actually going to be saving time because when you get back to work you’ll be so much more efficient and productive.

Exercising regularly will enhance your energy levels and general health immensely. It doesn’t even have to be slogging it out at the gym or running. Thirty minutes of walking a day will greatly improve your sense of well being.

Make sure you’re getting at least 7 or 8 hours of good sleep a night. Reduce the amount of caffeine you drink during the latter half of the day so that you’re sleeping more soundly.

Staying connected to your friends and family is essential for balance. Schedule time out to share laughter with friends over dinner and enjoy a game of Frisbee in the park with the kids. Don’t let your hobbies and other interests slide because of your business. If you like reading, relax and read books that aren’t related to business!

Make a commitment to yourself that at least on one day of the weekend you don’t turn your computer on at all, you don’t go into your office, you don’t even think about work!