Summer is here! The sun is shining, birds are singing – it’s the perfect time of year to pull yourself away from your desk and get outside into the great outdoors. However, for small business owners and self-employed individuals, it can be hard to justify spending time away from an overflowing in-tray and constantly ringing phone!
The Office for National Statistics state that self-employed workers are more likely to work more than 45 hours per week, and the same is probably true for the multi-tasking individuals involved in the day-to-day running of many small businesses too, because if you don’t do it, who else will? It is so important to take a break though, and for those of you who are a little hesitant, I have collated a few excellent reasons to take time out every now and then:
1) Regular physical activity – perhaps a walk on your lunch break or a swim several times a week – has been medically proven to have a number of significant health benefits. The NHS website gives a very long list of potential benefits, including the following:
Physical activity can really help you to stay healthier for longer, a factor important for everyone, but particularly for those who rely on their good health to enable them to maintain a successful business on a daily basis.
2) Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin in your system – a chemical typically associated with happiness and feelings of well-being. Physical activity has also been proven to boost serotonin levels too, so getting out and active in the (occasionally) great summer weather is likely to lift your mood, giving you just the boost you need to tackle the mountain of paperwork that awaits your return to work. There is nothing better when I'm stressed than taking my dog out for an hour's walk - I come back refreshed and rejuvenated.
3) Social contact is an underrated, but important contributing factor to a healthy body and mind. For those of us who work on our own, or in a confined office space, it is easy to slip away into our own little world and occasionally get bogged down in the stresses of an isolated working life, something that can impact both your physical and mental health. Meeting friends and spending time with family – boosting the social contact that is so often missing from our working days – can really help to tackle this. Any excuse for a relaxing picnic or barbeque is fine by me!
I could go on – there are so many excellent reasons to get out and about every now and then, taking time away from your computer and uncomfortable desk chair! I appreciate that it can be difficult finding the time, but if that is the case, and you could do with a little additional support with your weekly tasks in order to find a little more precious time for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: phone CCProfessional Secretarial Services on 07931 783395 to find out exactly we could help you find the perfect work/life balance.
And ENJOY your Summer!
The Office for National Statistics state that self-employed workers are more likely to work more than 45 hours per week, and the same is probably true for the multi-tasking individuals involved in the day-to-day running of many small businesses too, because if you don’t do it, who else will? It is so important to take a break though, and for those of you who are a little hesitant, I have collated a few excellent reasons to take time out every now and then:
1) Regular physical activity – perhaps a walk on your lunch break or a swim several times a week – has been medically proven to have a number of significant health benefits. The NHS website gives a very long list of potential benefits, including the following:
- up to a 35% reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% reduction in the risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% reduction in the risk of breast cancer
- up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- up to 30% lower risk of falls (among older people)
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
Physical activity can really help you to stay healthier for longer, a factor important for everyone, but particularly for those who rely on their good health to enable them to maintain a successful business on a daily basis.
2) Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin in your system – a chemical typically associated with happiness and feelings of well-being. Physical activity has also been proven to boost serotonin levels too, so getting out and active in the (occasionally) great summer weather is likely to lift your mood, giving you just the boost you need to tackle the mountain of paperwork that awaits your return to work. There is nothing better when I'm stressed than taking my dog out for an hour's walk - I come back refreshed and rejuvenated.
3) Social contact is an underrated, but important contributing factor to a healthy body and mind. For those of us who work on our own, or in a confined office space, it is easy to slip away into our own little world and occasionally get bogged down in the stresses of an isolated working life, something that can impact both your physical and mental health. Meeting friends and spending time with family – boosting the social contact that is so often missing from our working days – can really help to tackle this. Any excuse for a relaxing picnic or barbeque is fine by me!
I could go on – there are so many excellent reasons to get out and about every now and then, taking time away from your computer and uncomfortable desk chair! I appreciate that it can be difficult finding the time, but if that is the case, and you could do with a little additional support with your weekly tasks in order to find a little more precious time for you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: phone CCProfessional Secretarial Services on 07931 783395 to find out exactly we could help you find the perfect work/life balance.
And ENJOY your Summer!
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