Fit for work

“Lunch is for wimps”, so said Gordon Gekko in the film Wall Street. This often quoted phrase is memorable because for many it is so true. Yet truly, lunch is for the smart.

Over the last few months I have heard some clients say that they would start to take care of themselves when things settled down, when there was a little more time. In the middle of the lockdown crisis, for them there was not even time to “just breathe”. Others have been surprised to discover the benefits of changing life patterns on their working rhythm.

The idea that self care is somehow selfish is deeply embedded in our business culture. Not so. The greater the demands, the more judgement that leaders need to demonstrate and the more complex the unknowns that turn up daily then, honestly, the better shape someone’s body and brain need to be in.

So let’s start with lunch: our bodies are biochemistry so the food we choose to eat has a direct impact on how we feel. Poor nutrition will leave us feeling physically sluggish and dull our thinking. Paying just a little more attention to what you eat can make a big difference to the way you work.

“I’m running even more now and it really helps me get through the work”. We know that exercise is good for the body, but it is also good for the mind. As little as 20 minutes improves information processing and memory.

Take a break. As one client said, “working@home is in danger of becoming sleeping@work”. Neuroscience has shown that the brain can’t keep an effective focus for hours on end. Taking a few minutes break every so often to reflect quietly or simply disconnect will allow you to return to the task refreshed.

Sleep is often a casualty of a busy work schedule. Yet our brains work hard when we’re asleep: sleep allows us to consolidate learning, integrate memories and recover from the experiences of the day — not to mention clearing out accumulated toxins. None of this happens when we’re awake.

Rather like training for a race, everyone is having to prepare themselves to jump unknown hurdles. Questions I’m asking my clients are:

• If you were to look after yourself really well, what would that be like?
• What do you need to start doing to get into better shape?
• What habits work against you?
• What working rhythm allows you to get real perspective on the challenges you face?