5 Ways Entrepreneurs Jeopardize Their Health

Many years ago when I was sharing an office with two other companies, I got friendly with some of the other founders, who inhabited the space. They were good, hardworking people who enjoyed their work. After several years, I see them tired, burned out and struggling to keep up with their passion.

Entrepreneurs can get so focused on their business that they can forget to take care of their health.

I'd like to classify health into 3 categories – mental, physical and emotional. Some people might also like to add spiritual and social, but we'll leave that out in this article due to lack of time.

Here are five ways entrepreneurs jeopardize their health.

#1 Working long hours

Entrepreneurs tend to work longer than most other people, and even when not physically working they are thinking about their business all the time. They don't like structured environments and therefore they don't necessarily learn to start and stop their work day consciously.

Human beings are not machines, the mind and body is delicate, it needs to be nurtured and brought to rest to recuperate and get ready for the next day.

Most entrepreneurs work more than 12 hours a day, sometimes even on the weekends. They've been doing this for several years, this can cause severe damage to their health.

#2 Sitting in front of a desk for too long

Nowadays everything is done with a computer and an internet connection. Most face to face meetings are replaced by video conferencing, skype calls and virtual meetings on slack. We rarely tend to go out to meet people.

Unfortunately, many of us rarely even sit properly. A blog post on DeskJockey says it's important to get in the habit of sitting properly. The article further states that we should breathe deeply and evenly, fidget, stretch, and find any excuse to get up.

#3 Not managing your finances properly

What has finances got to do with health? More than you think. Entrepreneurs have a dual task of having to manage the finances of their company, and their personal finances.

Poor financial management can lead to a lot of stress, which can eventually cause burn out and several related side-effects.

It's advisable to use the services of a trusted professional in this area, and spend a few hours a week looking into your financials.

Filip Boksa, Co-founder of King of Maids says "We're in the service industry, and it's important for us to be on top of our finances at all times. We pay our bills on time, and we also insist that clients make their payments on time. We also have a sizable amount of working capital to help us during our lean periods. Yes, poor money management can cause a lot of stress."

#4 Not having a life outside their business

Many entrepreneurs rarely have friends outside their business. Most of the people they hang out with are people from their business circle. This might prove beneficial initially where they could mix business with pleasure, but on the long run, it begins to affect them mentally because they are mostly talking business. It takes up a lot of their mental energy eventually.

It helps to pursue a hobby, and look at your business like a job that has a start and an end.

#5 Not working out

Majority of people – entrepreneurs or otherwise – rarely work out. Working out has several benefits. It helps you sleep better, makes your lungs stronger, reduces stress, releases endorphins that make you happy, and makes you more productive at your job.

Try to workout at least 3 days a week. You'll realize that working out helps you perform better at work. It tends to make you feel happy, productive, and less stressed. It's also a welcome break from your desk.

Conclusion

Entrepreneurship is a highly demanding profession. Entrepreneurs can sometimes jeopardize their health and wellness, while chasing that big dream. Often times, it also affects their business in more ways than they can imagine. Along with business management, personal management is also an important area that should not be ignored.