Prior to setting up Health & Vitality Pte Ltd, I spent years working in the corporate world. So, I get it – you seem to spend your life in business meetings, airport lounges, on airplanes, or on conference calls late at night to ‘out the latest fire’ – and there’s always one flaring up!

Meanwhile, you have young kids to look after, a partner to maintain a sane relationship with, and a social life to enjoy, if you’re lucky enough to have the energy to do so. You struggle to find the time to exercise, to eat healthy, or to de-stress because:

• You simply don’t have the time nor the energy

• You can’t find the motivation 

• Your own well-being is way down in your priority list, although you’re constantly reminded that you must take better care of yourself

The ‘complimentary’ annual company health screening informs you that you need to exercise more, eat better, have less stress – yet your demanding job (from the same company) makes all this impossible!  It seems like a completely hopeless situation.

However, it’s not.

The corporate world is great fun, super addictive, wonderfully social, awesomely exciting, and incredibly rewarding. However, it’s also overpoweringly dictating, sucks your energy, is sometimes extremely dull and totally unappreciative. Most of the time, it’s probably somewhere in-between.

We tend to forget that the reason we work is to make a decent living (of course!), and to get stimulation socially, intellectually and otherwise – but not to the point that the organization takes over our lives so that our health, relationships, and sanity are compromised.

We know we should ‘work to live’ not ‘live to work’ – but it does require some discipline. At the end of the day – yes, a long and tiring one! – it’s our health, our longevity, our relationships, our sanity that is in question here. So we’ve got to find a way to take back some of those minutes, some of our energy, so that our personal priorities, not that of our company’s, are brought more to the front.

Let me share with you a few steps you can take that will make a big difference, based on my experience in corporate, and through working with busy clients who have succeeded in making their wellness a priority.

1. Block out 30 minutes or so in your calendar every day to do some form of exercise. When written down, you’re more likely to commit. For a holistic fitness routine, vary between cardio, strength training, and stretching.

You will get up 30 minutes earlier, or hang around the office a half an hour later, to attend a meeting or take a conference call. So, no excuse not to do the same for the benefit of your health.

2. Start your day with water & lemon; follow with a nourishing breakfast, enjoying it mindfully, before falling into the vortex of email. Coffee is acidic first thing, so better to gently awaken and cleanse your system – focusing on your food while you ensure you allow for better digestion.

3. Keep hydrated – substitute all sugary drinks with good, reliable H20, and keep a bottle on hand throughout the day. Add fruit or vegetable slices, and herbs, to make it more palatable. Herbal and green teas are also great, as is pure coconut water. Enjoy caffeine in moderation, especially if sensitive – I suggest a couple of good quality espresso-based coffee during your working day.

4. Fill your life/kitchen/work space/plate with healthy foods to crowd out the less nutritious fare. Keep water at your desk, drinks & food coolers at the office. Keep healthy snacks on hand – nuts, seeds, fruits, dried fruits, yogurts, popcorn, healthy granola bars, crudités and hummus, salsa, Vietnamese rolls, sushi.

Bring these snacks along to meetings so stop you from nibbling on any sugary processed snacks. If working over lunchtime at the office – plan healthier fare to be brought in; e.g. sushi or wholesome sandwiches, rather than pizza or KFC.

Think wholesome, unprocessed foods – as close as possible to their natural state. Health-wise, this strategy gives you the biggest bang for your buck – you max out on nutrients, while minimizing your consumption of junk.

5. To save time, cook and bake in bulk; refrigerate cooked eggs, chicken, and grains, and freeze anything from homemade sauces and marinades to muffins and granola bars – grab as required for work or anytime snack, as these thaw in no time, especially here in Singapore.

6. Pack a lunch a few times a week – anything can be thrown in a salad, or made into a healthy sandwich or wrap. Invest in a quality thermos to take homemade soups or curry dishes to work.

7. Get out of the office at lunchtime; view it as a mental and emotion breather, which will make you more productive in the afternoon.

8. Suggest a no-meeting day policy, and on other days be creative with meeting times. For example, set the start time at 10.20am to finish at 10.55.am, with clear objectives set. Where appropriate, have a policy of “no email or devices” allowed during meetings, as contrary to what you might think, multi-tasking undermines productivity.

During corporate wellness talks I remind people that productivity breeds energy; energy breeds productivity ©

Now that you’re more energized, and more productive, get home in time to spend quality time with your family or to get fit in that workout!

9. Get quality sleep to recuperate and rejuvenate. Have a ‘no electronics in the bedroom’ rule – so you get quality time with your partner.

10. On business flights – enjoy a glass of wine, a beer, but use the time effectively, and get some rest. Bring your own healthy snacks on board, keep hydrated, and stretch from time to time. Once you land, head to the gym, or go for a brisk walk – whatever gets your body moving and good endorphins flowing. Schedule this in your diaryor your better health.

11. Enjoy treats and alcohol in moderation. Life is far too short for deprivation – however overindulgence lessens our health and longevity.

12. Work on being that positive optimistic person you want to be – appreciate that you are in control of your health not only through better nutrition and fitness, but also through your better attitude.

To our health!