Why being healthy makes great career sense

Posted on | January 28, 2014 | No Comments

In the cut-throat race to move up the career ladder, a critical aspect that can determine how high one can eventually move up is ignored, and that is the physical and mental health of the individual. Health has a much greater role to play in career success than one gives it credit for; but if you think about it for a moment, it is not difficult to fathom why.

A healthy body generally means a more alert, energetic and productive individual, all of which are attributes that any organization will love in its staff. Not only do unhealthy employees result in direct costs to companies in the form of sick leave and other medical perquisites that companies may be offering their staff, but they also cost in huge intangible costs in lost productivity and infectious effect of having un-energetic team members. Is it any wonder that many companies take thorough medical tests before they recruit employees?

Secondly, being physically healthy has a great impact on the mental/ emotional health of an individual. The healthier you are physically, the better you feel about yourself; this comes across in how you deal with others in the team or clients for that matter. There is greater focus because the body is not diverting the attention of the mind while you are trying to work. Not only will a healthy body enable you to work longer or harder when the occasion demands, more importantly, it will help you get more out of yourself during regular working hours. What’s more, focused effort invariably leads to better quality output.

As any career coach will tell you, efficiency, productivity and high-quality are attributes that carry great weightage when companies look to move individuals up the corporate ladder. So, if you are committed to moving up in your career, take care of your health. It only takes acknowledgement of the importance of health and a commitment to work towards maintaining or improving it. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will a great start: eat healthy, do physical exercise regularly (long brisk walks or having a run daily) and give your body rest with adequate sleep. These are extremely simple tips- and nothing more than common sense really—but these are powerful tips that can make a huge impact to your career.

So, get started – and give your health a deeper look.

- The CareerXchange Editorial Team