Peak performance and output is something that every entrepreneur desires. Yet peak performance in one’s work is best realised when our body is also in peak condition. Any shortcomings physically will have a negative impact on an entrepreneur’s work output, ultimately limiting their effectiveness.
Personally I have found the perfect exercise regime that allows me to be optimally productive with my workflow. My exercise routine is built around running, further running, and well, more running. I run almost daily- in the mornings well before my family and business duties commence. I have run in this manner for the better part of 6 years. Some people call me fanatical and crazy, probably because at times I run in excess of 100km in a given week. However I disagree, and I prefer to think of myself as committed. I like to compete in marathons, and local events, all of which allow me to test myself and chase constant personal improvement (sounds like the mindset of an entrepreneur, right?)
Why do I run? I had a 10 year background in junior triathlon, and years later after the launch of my now 8 year old business, I realised I was getting deconditioned. So, for time efficiency, I turned to running (jogging back then) as a means to get me in shape and healthy again. Many years later I have never looked back – I am still running, and enjoying it more than ever.
As a running entrepreneur I have long held the belief that running as a form of exercise is well matched to an entrepreneur’s schedule, and I believe in many cases could actually be a busy entrepreneur’s secret weapon in their pursuit of effectiveness.
Here are five reasons why you should consider running as the ideal exercise routine to improve physical fitness as well as work output.
It’s time efficient.
I’m yet to meet an entrepreneur who doesn’t wish that there were more hours in the day. It’s the one thing that we all want more of, therefore any exercise or form of fitness that gets results fast must be good. The good news is that there are very few exercise modalities that rival running in terms of energy (calories) burnt for a given time period.
You can do it anywhere.
The busy entrepreneur often finds themselves in transit with regular travel requirements. Whether outside of one’s city, interstate, or in another country, running is an exercise form that can be performed universally with the ease of walking out of the hotel foyer and hitting the pavement. It’s incidentally a terrific way to sight-see when visiting new places. And, with modern phone mapping, getting lost is now a thing of the past!
It needs minimal equipment.
Runners need, well, just their runners! A pair of running shoes, some comfortable clothes, and off you can go running. Compared with other popular sporting and exercise pursuits (crossfit, cycling, or golf) there is very little equipment required, and therefore very low barriers to getting started.
It’s objective.
As entrepreneurs we love to measure things, we like to keep score, and we need to know that we are winning and ‘moving the ball forwards’ when we play the game of business. The beauty of running in the modern age is that there can be a plethora of data available at your finger-tips to keep track of your progress. Devices such as Garmin watches, iPhone apps, and Fit Bit can all be used to effectively measure variables of running performance and training such as heart rate, kilometres travelled, elevation gained, calories burnt, and steps taken.
Do two things at once.
All entrepreneurs want to be able to do this! Many of us are experts when it comes to juggling multiple balls or handling multiple tasks. Well, one benefit of running is that you can concurrently exercise and learn. For example, my runs are measured in terms of how many quality podcasts I listen to. I simply run with my iPhone and head-phones and listen to my favourite podcasts. I have heard of many business owners and like-minded entrepreneurs’ who do the same thing.
So, as there are so many reasons why you should consider running, I guess I’ll see you on the pavement!
