10 essential things you should do in 2024

Let's start off this read with a quote from Brandon Sanderson, author of "The Alloy of Law".

"The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones."

As such, you should be focusing on your health and stamina first as they are essential to your productivity throughout 2024.

Here's a choice of essential activities you adopt this year. May I invite you to simply pick a few that you can embrace in the first quarter of 2024?

Activity #1 - Schedule a comprehensive health check-up (annually)

• Look in your calendar and save some time for your health check-up - schedule it as soon as possible!

Activity #2 - Sleep profoundly and wake up gently

• Sleeping early and waking up early is more rejuvenating than sleeping late and waking up late
• Adopt a relaxing ‘ritual’ before you sleep, to signal ‘bed-time’ to your body (e.g. watch some TV, read a novel etc. anything that takes your mind away from stress)
• Ensure your bed is good for your back
• Drink a full glass of (hot) water as you wake up (squeeze-in a quarter of a yellow lemon if you can)

Activity #3 - Take a short power-nap during the day

• Research has proven the huge benefits of power-napping, so just dare to do it!
• Ask your personal assistant to prevent any phone calls or meetings for 30 minutes; when traveling, shorten your lunchtime and arrange to rest for a while

Activity #4 - Take one full day off from work every week

• No access to emails and ideally, turn off your mobile phone too
• Spend quality time with others (be fully present to them) and do creative activities that inspire yourself

Activity #5 - Optimize your diet

• Schedule an appointment with a qualified dietician, and require practical and convenient enough advice (anything else won’t stick to your routine)

Activity #6 - Exercise more, at home and at work

• If you don’t have time to go to the gym, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions and ask her/him to teach you exercise-routines that you can do at home and at work
• Find your way to make those exercises exciting, so that you don’t get bored (do them with someone, watch something interesting, listen to music, etc…).

Activity #7 - Ensure your body posture at your office is sound

• Ask a certified chiropractor or an osteopath to assess your body postures and give you advice
• Arrange to stand when you work at your computer in the office
• Stand up, stretch yourself and walk around once during mid-morning and twice along the afternoon

Activity #8 - Reduce of eliminate smoking or alcohol consumption

• Seek the assistance of a professional if you you're unable to kick away your addiction(s) to toxic substances

Activity #9 - Pamper yourself regularly

• Allow yourself some time to be pampered - maybe treat yourself to a relaxing massage; a night out with your friends; even maybe taking a short trip to the beach...

Activity #10 - Make yourself accountable!

• Making a commitment to the above activities can be tough when doing it alone. Try enlisting the help of an 'accountability-buddy' and ask him/her to check-in regularly with you to follow-up on your commitments

The ‘corporate athlete’ you are can benefit greatly from a support team, just as sports champions do; and just as professional athletes need renewal after their intense efforts, so do you too too.

How about hiring the temporary services of a doctor, a personal trainer, a dietician or a chiropractor, on a need-basis?

In conclusion, I leave you with these motivational quotes:

"Every human being is the author of his own health or disease." - Lord Buddha

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now." - Anon

Here's to your Greatness!

Jean-Francois Cousin

Global Executive & Team Coach, MCC

Speaker, Author, Former Chairman of ICF Global Board