3 Non-Negotiable Daily Health Habits That Help Me Succeed

You know how hard it is to stay well. At every turn, a new obstacle gets thrown in your path and eats up precious time: a pressing work deadline, a family obligation or—I’m guilty of this—a riveting book or new TV show. 

If you’re strapped for time (who isn’t? ), there are simple things you can do every day to boost your mind, body and spirit so that you can perform at the office and at life. If I’ve managed to prioritize my health while building a multimillion-dollar business and raising four children, I promise you, you can find a way, too. 

Below are three simple habits that form the foundation of my wellness practice. Hopefully, they’ll help you feel like “being healthy” doesn’t have to be so hard. 

1. Spend quality time with your tribe. 

Building healthy habits isn’t just about taking care of your body. Your mental and emotional health are just as important to your well-being. Research suggests that surrounding yourself with loved ones is one of the best ways to fend off depression, so make sure to leave room in your schedule to connect with the VIPs in your life. 

Few things make me happier than getting home at the end of a long day and catching up with my kids or talking about something besides work with my husband. This time together gives me perspective. It reminds me that there are things that are waymore important that whatever fire I was putting out at the office that day.

Even if you don’t have a family to come home to, you can make it a point to connect with a loved one daily. It could be a phone call with a friend on the drive home, a text exchange with your mom on your lunch break, or even a walk around the block with a coworker. It doesn’t take long to better your mood and put your mind at ease. You’ll feel almost instantly lifted and that feeling will carry you through the rest of your day. 

2. Fuel your body with real food.

As many of you know, one of the main reasons that I started hint was because I wanted to kick my diet soda addiction. Today, if I’m feeling extra drained, I try not to rely on caffeine as a band-aid. Instead, I assess why my energy levels are so low and get to the root cause. 

Did I get enough sleep last night?If not, I’ll prioritize getting to bed earlier. Have I eaten lately? I always pay attention to how different foods make me feel, and know to reach for fruits, vegetables, or protein-rich foods over carbs or sugary snacks when I need a boost. 

More often than not, the answer to Why don’t I feel good? is that I’m dehydrated. Studies show that even mild dehydration can cause a loss of focus, bring on fatigue and put you in a bad mood. So I try to make sure to always have some water within reach so I can sip all day, and mix in plenty of different flavors of hint to keep it interesting.

3. Move every day. 

We’ve all heard the science: sitting all day is killing us, most Americans aren’t getting enough exercise and activity is good for your mind, too. But finding both the motivation and the time to work out can feel insurmountable. 

For me, the best way to get over that mental hurdle is to reframe my thinking about what being active should look like. I noticed that the moment I stopped putting pressure on myself to get an “official” workout in every day, it suddenly became easier to find pockets of time to exercise. Instead, I just focus on always getting in somekind of movement. 

On a normal day, that’s my regular hour-long morning hike with my dogs. But if I’m traveling or just extra busy, I’ll huff it on foot to my first appointment or arrange for something on my schedule to be a walking meeting. (Related: How to Promote Employee Wellness When You Can't Offer Big Company Perks)

I love organizing fitness activities with my team. Whether it’s an in-house yoga class or a designed time where a group goes to the gym together; working out with your teammates can improve your relationships andyour health. 

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Let’s Connect! Find me onTwitter(@KaraGoldin), and DM me your burning business questions and/or comments.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based hint®, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram.