6. Making it a competition. Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin HealthMiles, bet his employees that they couldn’t walk/run farther than him in a single day, and offered a prize to anyone who could. The competitive environment motivated him to walk even more, according to Forbes.
7. Change it up to keep the routine fresh. Richard Branson is an exercise addict, according to Benzinga.com. He swims, does yoga, rock climbs, runs and weight lifts. He calls exercise the cure for lack of energy.
8. Rise early and stick to your morning ritual. It’s pretty common knowledge, as CEO.com suggests, that successful CEOs all wake up “at the crack of dawn.”. Also well-known is that successful people use those early morning hours, when others are asleep and before the day’s challenges develop, to get their workouts in. Jordan Zimmerman, founder of Zimmerman Advertising, told Inc. that he rises at 3:30 a.m. and rides his bike 25 miles before breakfast.
9. Meditation. Vikas Khemani, CEO of Edelweiss Capital in India, is just one of many CEOs that meditate. Rupert Murdoch and Oprah Winfrey also are big fans of the technique, which lowers both stress levels and blood pressure.
10. Work around the yard. In addition to the usual exercise routines, Elizabeth Curtis, CEO of Sharp Community Medical Group in San Diego, rides horses, chops wood and works in her garden. With a busy schedule that is all over the lot, Curtis is able to accomplish necessary tasks while also exercising her body and her mind.
While exercising is the key to being healthy, however, remember not to overdo it. Raj Jain, the CEO of Bharti-Walmart in India had to quit his long-time running routine because his knees gave out. Meanwhile, that same week, his running partner died of a heart attack because he overexerted himself, Jain told The India Times. Good health is important, but moderation is key.
Additional Reading:
Zuckerberg, Obama Channel Jobs in Search for Alone Time
How young CEOs stay healthy to take on work-life challenges
After office treadmill, a workout for CEOs can be killing