Physical well-being is much more than good health. It is the direct result of li

Physical well-being is much more than good health. It is the direct result of lifestyle choices and our behaviors around sleep, diet, physical activity, hygiene, and relaxation that achieve or derail optimal functioning. Do you wake up full of energy and optimism for the day and feel confident about your ability to handle whatever comes your way? Or are you often distracted by pain, headaches, discomfort, and fatigue? Maybe you struggle to complete tasks because you feel foggy or run out of steam. Physical well-being drives all of that.
It can be tempting to say “that’s just the nature of working long hours” or “I’m not as young as I used to be,” and assume you can’t feel better or perform better or that everyone else feels just the same. But physical well-being can be improved. You can have chronic illness or disability and still have well-being. The decisions and the actions we take affect strength, appearance, hardiness, longevity, happiness, and your ability to achieve You Inc.’s goal of life satisfaction.
Yes, avoiding illness is important, but sometimes it is out of your control. Genetics and random illness can be real threats to You Inc., but as CEO you still have the power to pivot, take actions to optimize your functioning, and keep moving toward your goals. Paying attention to your physical well-being is like making an investment today in the resources that will help you weather and leverage whatever comes your way–good well-being gives you more assets to tap into. CEOs persevere. They stay nimble.
How do you achieve physical well-being?
Since physical well-being has many components there are limitless ways to improve it. For example:Eating well
Exercising
Getting enough sleep
Staying hydrated
Drinking in moderation
The challenge is getting real about where you are physically and setting realistic goals to get you where you want to be. That is why thinking like a CEO is so helpful. It forces you to look at the big picture and make tough decisions that are not always easy or popular.
Depending on your needs, you can design a plan that may focus solely on one aspect of your life, like increasing physical activity. Or your plan can cover a wide range of initiatives for a more cumulative approach that also includes eating more vegetables, going to bed at the same time each night, and cutting back on alcohol. The bottom line is improving overall physical well-being for the benefit of You Inc.
Be sure to focus on your strengths and not your weaknesses. This seems counterintuitive to making health improvements but when we apply our strengths to areas that need development we are more likely to be successful.
For example, are you a champion sleeper? How do you get a good night’s sleep when so many people struggle with it? Was it trial and error? Do you have a set schedule, or are you on a segmented sleep schedule? Do you have good tools like room darkening shades and a mattress topper? How can you apply the same approach to exercise? Can you experiment with different programs, wake up 30 minutes early to work out, and splurge on a new pair of sneakers? Reflect on your successes and find ways to expand them and apply them to new facets of your health.
Be prepared for pressure from your friends and family who aren’t comfortable with your changes. Perhaps it is making them reflect on their own physical well-being or they simply liked the way things were. CEOs have to make hard decisions. Remember, nothing is more important than the success of You Inc.