In this first Insight Post of a series focussing on the concerns of older independent consultants, you will be nudged into reflecting on why health concerns and self-care should be a priority:

• Financial considerations: Access to quality healthcare and managing the costs of medical treatment can be a significant worry, especially if, as a freelancer, you do not have access to employer or government health schemes.
• Professional considerations: Your clients and your business will suffer if you cannot work because of illness or disability. Should the worst happen, do you have a plan for taking care of your clients?
• Personal considerations: You might think you will live forever, but you won’t. What remains unfinished on your bucket list that you will regret not doing? And if you do get ill, who is going to look after you and pay for your care?

Don’t just sit there; do something

There is plenty of external help you can plug into:

• Now is probably a good time to get a full physical health check from a private healthcare provider, which should reveal any underlying conditions.
• Appointing a personal trainer or coach will help you stay fit as you age and can guide you in managing chronic conditions, developing healthier habits, and navigating healthcare systems.
• Instinct or gut feeling is no substitute for accurate data, so invest in a set of body composition scales and home blood and gut tests to find out your body’s true state. Measure your activities to track improvements in your fitness.
• Ask your financial adviser or your trade/professional body for help in forward funding any health problems that might knock you and your business sideways in the future.
• Appoint a locum to take over your business when you can’t

But start with DIY healthcare.

Take as much responsibility of your body and its health as your understanding will allow. There are five areas on which you should concentrate:

1. Diet: The key to a good diet is food quality rather than quantity. Health professionals recommend 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein.
2. Hydration:You are 60% water, so even mild dehydration of 1-2% can cause headaches, loss of concentration, tiredness, and reduced athletic performance. We naturally lose 2-3 litres of water per day, so it is vital to replace this.
3. Rest. Your body recovers during sleep, and a good night’s sleep is essential. Again, quality is more important than quantity. Get six to seven hours of sound sleep to enhance your ability to deal with life on a day-to-day basis.
4. Exercise. Humans are built to move, so inactivity can be fatal, hence the ten thousand steps advice.
   In contrast, strength training turns fat into muscle and leaves you feeling healthier. You don’t have to go to a gym; get into the habit of around 20 minutes of strength training (push-ups, sit-ups, the plank, etc) three or four times a week.
5. Mental health. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. I do not profess to be qualified in any way to talk about mental health and its impact on resilience. However, I do know that a walk, preferably in natural surroundings, can do wonders to dispel feelings of anxiety and sadness.

Don’t forget time and money

You should invest a little time and money in your health. Most of the above can be done for free and should take no more than 20-30 minutes a day. Although preparing meals from scratch takes a bit more time, it is probably cheaper and healthier than ready meals.

Health concerns will always be a worry for the self-employed, more so than for employees who have financial and personal back-up. Therefore, your self-care should be as important as your family life and business growth.

Photo attribution

Photo by Yury Kirillov on Unsplash

Audio link

https://audio.com/jeremy_deedes/health-concerns/

Related posts

How to maintain your health resilience

https://wordsnotdeeds.co.uk/health-resilience/

Build a couple of hours weekly into your schedule for your fitness and significantly improve your health resilience.

Longevity from strength

https://wordsnotdeeds.co.uk/longevity/

According to experts, strength training leads to greater longevity than CV exercise; retaining a coach or trainer will improve your chances of success.

ABOUT

I work with ambitious, family-oriented professionals transitioning to independent consultants to create a 3 to 5-year holistic plan so that they grow wealthy, make a difference and find meaning.

My clients are aged 35-50. They are in a long-term relationship with family and parents who are supportive but ageing. They wrestle with personal and financial responsibilities and dream of more control, wealth, time and purpose.

If this excites you, you are coachable, willing to change, and want to stop going around in circles, then find out more at jeremydeedes.com

Then, take your next step and explore your way forward with a Mapmaker, a one-off online coaching gig to help you decide your options, assess our compatibility, and determine whether we are the right fit. Mapmaker is excellent value, held in confidence and without further commitment.

What do you think?

Your views are important, and your fellow readers would love to hear your opinion,
so share your thoughts in the comments box below, and thank you for your time and generosity.

What do you think?

Your views are important, and your fellow readers would love to hear your opinion, so share your thoughts in the comments box below, and thank you for your time and generosity.