The Career Workout: 3 Fitness Tips to Get Your Career In Shape

It’s not fitness, it’s life. That’s the brand tagline for Equinox – where I work out every day -?but it’s also the philosophy I adopted for my life in my early twenties.

I’ll never forget my first job after college. I was an auditor at a Big Four accounting firm and I was drowning.

It was hard enough making the transition from school to work, but I was also working a mandatory 55-hour busy-season week in the doldrums of winter. Plus, I had no internet access, no phone, and was sharing a small cubicle with no privacy.

Not to mention that I’d just finished a four-year degree and discovered that I didn’t love what I was doing. And on a personal level, I was still coming to terms with my sexuality and trying desperately to meet new people through work. But I just didn’t have the time I needed to devote to that.

All in all, it was a recipe for burn out and depression. I was sinking fast. Then a colleague gave me what turned out to be a great piece of advice. She suggested I try blowing off some steam by grabbing a workout in our corporate gym.

I wasn’t sure—I’d joined a gym in my early teens but never really got into working out. But by this point I was so desperate to feel better, I decided to give it a shot. If nothing else, I figured it would give me some time away from my desk and a chance to clear my head.

Well, it did more than that. Joining that corporate gym opened up a whole new world for me. It transformed my mind, my body and my soul. What’s more, the lessons I learned were just as applicable to transforming my life and my career.

So here are my three fitness tips for a healthy career (and a healthy life!).

The first is about commitment and determination. I quickly learned that any form of transformation means showing up and being consistent. If you want results, you have to put in the time.

We’ve all heard phrases like “you have to pay your dues” and “there’s no elevator to the top, you have to take the stairs.” Well, they’re both true—in the gym, in the office, and in life. So, show up for yourself and be your own cheerleader. Whether it’s negotiating for that pay raise or trying to make that one last rep, be your best motivator and be positive in your self-talk.

The second is to embrace change. In order for your muscles to grow, you need to change your workout every 6 to 8 weeks or so. This is because your muscles have memory. When they get used to your routine they aren’t challenged as hard.

The same is true with work. If you’re getting too comfortable or complacent, it’s time to change it up. Learn a new skill, take on a new project, or do something else which stretches you to grow.

My third tip is to build a community. None of us have made it to where we are alone. The gym has provided me with a network of friends that share a common interest. Not only do we learn from each other, but we inspire and challenge each other to do our best. Most importantly, this network gives me a reason to show up—even when I don’t feel like it.

Having a similar community at work is crucial for success. So find the people that inspire you, root for you, and have your best interests at heart. But also look to do the same for others—be a mentor, join an employee resource group, and look to expand your network outside of the function you work in.

These lessons have served me well in my health and in my career. I feel fortunate to have learned early on in life that, without your health, career success and financial success won’t matter.

When I was on the road to burn out, focusing on my physical health had the added benefit of helping my mental health and getting my career focused. I hope it can do the same for you!

I hope you've enjoyed this article and will share your thoughts in the comments.

# mentalhealth #leadership #wellness

Note: This article is a personal perspective and not connected to my current employer.