Why being healthy matters for the CEO?

The CEO of the corporation is an honorable, prestigious, and well desired for your job. But there is a side effect of your CEO position. It comes with everyday stress, which is on the rise affecting your health, especially during this pandemic time.

2021 has arrived and brings the opportunity for a fresh start. But the Covid19 continues affecting your world. The economy is unstable, and the financial stability of your business is yet to be forecasted. Your schedule is erratic. You have conflicting responsibilities that pull you in multiple directions at once. Remote work has extended your working day up to unlimited and added extra tasks to your obligations.

What the personal health of you as the CEO has to do with your business conquering this crisis? Do you really have time and guts to put your personal health above your business?

Here are the critical reasons why being healthy is the prerequisite for a successful CEO:

1. A Healthy CEO is an efficient CEO.
   Healthy companies start with healthy leadership. If you did not get enough sleep a night before, you do not feel well then, the decisions you will make will be less than optimal. To be efficient at your work you must have a clear mind and a healthy body. Good health requires self-discipline and determination. Here are key points that will help you to protect your health:

   – Put fitness on your schedule and proceed as an important business task.
   – Cut off your working day up to 10 hours despite how challenging that must be.
   – Clear one day or consecutive 24 hours in your weekend from any business activities.
   – Get enough sleep. From all the points this is the most important one. Often sleep is a challenge because you cannot sleep. And that is a sign that you must allow your mind to rest and give your body a physical work out. Do not ignore this. Manage this alert before you must have your doctors manage it for you.

   Taking care of yourself means taking care of your business.  Develop strong habits that will power your health and increase your productivity.

2. CEO’s health problems are not a private matter.
   Did you ever put on your resume your health problem? Would you initiate a disclosure about your health issue during a hiring process for the CEO job? Most likely you were thinking how to avoid talking about your health.

   What do you think about the future – should CEOs’ health issue stay private? Even if you want to think that health is your own private matter in reality almost nothing about your CEO’s life is private! And CEOs’ health problems are not a secret anymore. “Although a company does not have a general duty to disclose an executive’s health issues, a bright line rule is that if a senior executive is incapacitated and therefore unable to perform his or her duties, disclosure is required.”- according to Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance.

   Health problems can happen to anyone. Nobody in this world is shielded from trouble. People will understand and help you in critical moments. But most likely your CEO position will be suspended.

   These are very harsh but true factors. The best advice is to keep your health under control. Strong health will help you to bring balance between your work and personal life.

3. A Healthy CEO makes a healthy corporate culture.
   Ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced corporations more than ever before to focus on health initiatives and wellness programs for employees. Mental health is among the leading issues.

   Wellness starts with you.  When you are in charge of the wellness of your company you cannot afford to avoid your own health. You must lead by example. Put your employee’s health first and stay determined to build a healthier company. Add positive changes to your corporate culture. Start small from allowing mental health days to replacing cookies with fruits in the break room, then progress to the fitness room. By focusing on wellness of your company it will make it easier to stick to your own wellness goals. Not only will you and your teams be more productive and satisfied with greater work-life balance, but your company will also benefit.

   Employees are motivated when the company puts their health at the top of their priority list.

   In the long run, physical and mental health are important priorities for any company because they set the organization on the path to success.

4. Looking healthy matters more than looking smart.
   Study shows that when choosing a leader companies are looking for candidates with a healthy complexion, but do not favor the most intelligent-looking candidates.

   A relatively healthy-looking leader may have a better chance of gaining sufficient levels of followership investment to initiate change. On the other hand, a potential leader who looks relatively less healthy may be overlooked even if they are better suited for the job. These results are published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

   If you are preparing yourself for a leadership position, having a successful background is important. But to be chosen for a CEO position looking healthy appears to be more important. The researchers even suggest this is why leaders in our time have put such care into their health and appearance.

   If you want to be a successful CEO your health matters just as much if not more than your experience. As we kick off 2021, set your health goals and start leading to your own health success.

Conclusion. 

Covid19 turmoil brings enormous challenges to business leaders. Despite the fact that CEOs understand the importance of their health it remains a challenge for many to focus on their own wellness. Yet, it could be and should be done.

To help you develop your health habits, find someone to keep you accountable. Someone you respect and trust. It could be your friend or mentor. If you do not have one, hire an executive coach who will professionally keep you on the right track. They will be focused on achieving your goals for professional success, keep emphasis on your health, and help you to free time for your personal life. They will bring balance to your life.

Keeping yourself in top physical shape relieves your stress and helps you to stay mentally fit. That is your number one requirement for being a great CEO.

Written by Olga Artemenko.