What's Missing In Your Business Plan

by Shelly Lynn Hughes

I love being a business woman. I enjoy being my own boss and the unlimited opportunities and perks that we self employed women are blessed with. Isn't it great that we get to set our own hours and that we answer to no one? I remember back when I was working for someone else, I had to punch a clock when I arrived at work and again when I left to go home. It bugged me. At the time I knew I needed to run my own company. I'm the type person who looks forward to Monday, because it's the first day of the mainstream work week. It's like finally, the rest of the world is doing something productive! I enjoy reading books like Smart Women Finish Rich- 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams" by David Bach as well as business magazines. And even you, my fellow entrepreneurs will find this one really crazy: I love what I do so much, I actually look forward and enjoy showcasing my product at trade shows. So now you know I really love working! I will tell you though there are a couple of things I love a hundred times more then my business. Nothing in the world, no fortune, and no fame means more to me than my health and my family. What about you? Do you love your business or your family and health more? Even though I am asking you the question, I already know the answer: of course you love your family and your health more than anything. Sadly though, after years of putting endless time and energy into making a company successful, many people forget about their health and ultimately their family suffers. You can't be successful in business or as a parent if at 47 years of age your lying sick on a hospital bed.

As our world becomes more driven and fast-paced, people are getting sicker and sicker. More people are getting the flu and worse, cancer. We work long, hard hours, and feed our bodies with McDonalds® and Starbucks® coffee. I was surprised to hear so many people were shocked after they watched the movie "Super Size Me." Are you kidding me? How did the doctors not know that a month of eating McDonalds® and drinking Coke® was going to make this man sick?! It's unbelievable that someone actually had to conduct this experiment to prove it's detrimental to health. What's really scary is it's not just uninformed teenagers that are eating this stuff, its busy people, just like you and I.

If you want to work long hours (which I do not recommend but admit is sometimes necessary) do yourself a favor: eat whole, nutritious foods. Even if you're not working long hours, eating healthy will not only make you a stronger business person but also a stronger person in life. Fruits, vegetables and lean proteins will do a lot more for your brain and body then any processed food will. You should eat breakfast at home and pack yourself a healthy lunch. Mornings can be really crazy around my place and breakfasts can be difficult to get in. My friend and colleague Tracy Holly gave me one of her oatmeal recipes (see sidepanel) to help make my mornings easier. The best part is that it's healthy and it can be made and left in the fridge for a few days.

One appliance I use every day is my blender. It's quick to make a healthy shake when I'm really busy with phone calls and meetings. Every office should have a blender, protein powder and fruit. If you must go for a business lunch meeting stay away from the burgers and fries and opt for salad and a lean piece of meat like salmon or chicken. Another one of my favourite kitchen appliances is my Crock Pot™ slow cooker. I prepare my vegetables and meat the night before and in the morning stick them in the slow cooker. Eleven hours later, a full meal done and ready to be served for the whole family. All you have to do is keep your food simple, and like your business choices, think and plan ahead when it comes to food.

For those of you who are not penciling in at least half an hour of physical activity every day of your life, be prepared for your body and mind to start breaking down. I get so many letters and hear from so many of my friends and family about how there is no time to exercise because their businesses are keeping them too busy. They proclaim if they put in the time necessary for exercise, their businesses won't survive. Funny though, these same people, in the same conversation, want to talk about the outcome of the television show "Desperate Housewives" the night before. I'm sure you get my point.

Stress can also have a detrimental impact on your health, business and life. A couple of weeks ago I had a restless sleep. You know, one of those nights where you look at the clock every half hour and get up out of bed two or three times all while getting more anxious as the darkness turns into light. I had so many thoughts running though my head that I just couldn't shut off. They were important thoughts though, such as deadlines, phone calls I need to return, and a new business plan to be reckoned with. By 3 a.m. you would think I'd had enough with worrying about spread sheets and would have gone to sleep, but no, apparently I had to throw a little family analyzing into the mix of business and counting sheep. I finally fell asleep at 3:30 a.m. In the morning I woke to hear of the Tsunami disaster that hit so many countries. It reminded me to keep my own issues in perspective.

If you want to be at least one step ahead of your competition and be able to enjoy what you have built with your family for many years to come you must make your health a priority. Don't let a lifetime of physical and mental sickness take away everything you have worked hard for. Make health not only a part of your life plan but also a part of your business plan.

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