Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, and Healthy Business in 2022

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to focus on tips to help you get your 2022 prospecting game in high gear. For most top performers, a solid prospecting practice begins with keeping both their body and mind in great shape.

So, let’s get you thinking healthy in 2022 with a few tips:

• Get started on a daily exercise regimen. The Department of Health and Human Services suggests that you maintain a schedule of moderate physical activity for 150 minutes per week. Or, if you want to push yourself, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, including weight training. And it doesn’t take much to get started. Walking for 30 minutes a day, for five days takes care of the recommended level of moderate activity. Plus, since the start of the pandemic, it’s easy to find myriad online classes if you prefer to exercise in the comfort of your home.
• Monitor your health on an ongoing basis. An exercise regimen is important, but so is staying on top of your overall health. Many people, out of fear or ignorance, avoid doing the bare essentials, such as getting periodic medical check-ups, vision exams, and general health screenings. The best way to reduce your chances of getting sick and to detect potentially, life-threatening problems is to be actively engaged in monitoring your health on an ongoing basis.
• Don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. It’s easy to get caught up in our 24/7 wired world, which does not promote healthy sleep habits. Quality sleep helps to keep the weight off, while also reducing critical risk factors for heart attacks, strokes and other chronic diseases. Maintain a strict sleep schedule, going to bed at the same time each night. Make sure your bedroom is at a cool, comfortable temperature. Turn off your screens at least an hour prior to getting into bed. Try not to consume caffeine (including those Diet Cokes) after 1 PM.
• Incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine. Such practices have been shown to reduce stress and help maintain our equilibrium over the course of days that can be hectic and stressful. It doesn’t take much to start a meditation practice. Spend as little as 10 minutes to sit quietly and simply watch your in and out breath. In fact, with an Apple Watch or various apps, you can get periodic reminders to “breathe” which is an excellent way to stay mindful during the day. Also, slow down! Instead of multi-tasking (which, by the way, is a myth), focus on doing one thing at a time. Eat mindfully. Keep social media and email check-ins to a minimum. Maintaining a mindfulness practice is simple, and doesn’t cost you’re a penny. So, start breathing.
• Be sure to maintain an “attitude of gratitude.” Research shows that being grateful is a great way to reduce stress and stave off bouts of depression. It also lowers your blood pressure. Take a few minutes prior to getting into bed to write five things you’re grateful for in a journal. It will help improve your sleep. And, as a real estate agent, you’ll be happy to know that practicing gratitude has been shown to improve both mental resilience and self-esteem (two essential ingredients to sales success).
• By helping others, you help yourself. There’s a principle called “helper’s high.” It’s what happens when you activate your “feel-good” neurotransmitters after helping someone or giving someone a gift. There are so many ways to help others through donating our “time, talent, or treasures.” But it doesn’t even have to be that complicated. The next time you’re in the drive-thru at Starbucks, pick up the tab for the car behind you. That simple, random-act-of-kindness, of “paying it forward,” will be a great way to start your day. Not to mention how the person who just got a FREE latte will feel.
• Work on all of the relationships in your life. Research tells us that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends, and co-workers are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer, more satisfying lives. In a strange way, COVID has helped all of us to appreciate the relationships in our lives. While not the same thing as being together physically, apps like Zoom and FaceTime have played an important role in keeping us all connected.

So, let’s sum up your health maintenance plan for 2022: slow down, take a walk, buy a latte for a stranger, pay attention to your breath, and Zoom with a friend.

From your friends at Vulcan7, have a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2022.

Doug Spak

Doug Spak has over four decades of experience as an advertising copywriter, agency creative director, blogger, and content creator. He joined Vulcan7 as a Content Specialist in 2016. In addition to ongoing website copy refreshes, Doug has produced over 300 blog posts while developing content for Vulcan7’s social media platforms.