‘Curating your way of life’ key to managing health/wealth balance
Have you ever let your health and wellbeing slide in the pursuit of material wealth? Is there a connection between physical and mental health and productivity?
These questions and more were answered by Pete Edwards, CEO of Edwards Performance and Nottingham Panthers strength and conditioning coach, at an exclusive networking lunch sponsored by NG Chartered Surveyors on Friday 27 September.
TheBusinessDesk.com’s “Health or Wealth? The Wellbeing at Work Lunch” at the Park Plaza in Nottingham saw Edwards offer compelling advice to those of us who may be sacrificing our health and wellbeing to get where we want to be professionally.
He said: “There are five areas of life in which your decision-making can nudge the trajectory of your health in a positive or negative direction – food, fitness, environment, sleep and resilience.
“If you can measure these things you can manage them, and we now have the technology to do so. So it’s possible to curate your way of life to effect positive changes.”
But what steps does Edwards recommend we take to recalibrate our systems?
He said: “Firstly, it’s important to find respite. The 24-7 connected world doesn’t let us breathe. For one person it could be playing a round of golf, or playing the piano, or singing their infant to sleep. The key is to find time to do what works for you.
“It’s equally vital to consume enough magnesium. It determines how much cortisol you produce when experiencing stress and improves your sleep if you take it as a supplement.
“The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or ‘Forest Bathing’ can also be helpful. Our brains intuitively know our environment, and simply being around nature calms the system.
Pete Edwards
“You should also aim to punctuate your day with restorative 20 minute breaks. It will have a profound impact on your mental and physical state.”
Edwards also emphasised the importance of getting enough sleep – something he says has been “severely compromised” in the modern world.
He said: “Sleeping less to be more productive is the worst false economy. If I were to give you just one piece of advice it would be to sleep more.
“Almost everyone is a little bit chronically dehydrated as well, so make sure you hydrate properly.
“Finally, as you go about your day, take what I call ‘The Sacred Pause.’ Take as little as three seconds to bring your attention back to the present. Do it before every meeting and every change of task. Be here now. It’s never too late to make changes.”
Richard Sutton, director at sponsors NG Chartered Surveyors, introduced Edwards and revealed the thinking behind the event.
He said: “We take the health and wellbeing of our staff very seriously. If you don’t you’ll only store up problems in the long term. You can’t deliver results for your clients unless you are physically and mentally fit. We’ve decided to close our office on Friday afternoons and we’ve noticed a big jump in productivity as a result.”
