Look After Your Health
To some, this might sound obvious. To others, it might seem unimportant. But I’ve learned firsthand that health should be your number one priority.
In 2020, after reading Atomic Habits, I took the advice and decided to become a runner. By 2022, I had joined Park Run and was regularly doing 5k runs. To date, I’ve completed over 30 Park Runs and countless 1.5k or 3k runs in between. Running has become a part of who I am.
Why? Your health is more important than you can imagine. It’s the foundation for enjoying and achieving anything in life. On days when I don’t want to run, I imagine that there people who would give anything to be able to run. There are people who can’t, who can only dream of running. There are people who overcome incredible odds to run. One day, I won’t be able to run. On the tough days, that’s what I think about, and it motivates me to put on my kit and get out the door.
Even with this mindset, burnout caught up with me. On the subject of stress, I was once asked by my manager to let him know when it was all getting too much. I explained to him that I stop exercising when I’m starting to burn out. Despite this self-awareness, I burned out anyway. It can happen to you too if you don’t look after your health.
Burnout: The Loss of Momentum
Burnout isn’t just about fatigue from overwork. To me, burnout has always been about the loss of momentum. It’s when no matter how much you work, progress stalls. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.
- Increased mental distance from one’s job or feelings of negativity toward it.
- Reduced professional efficacy.
Although burnout is specific to the workplace, it affects all aspects of your life. Recognising it is vital, and I missed the signs. My rising resting heart rate and the end of my running habit were clear indicators that I ignored.
Recognising Stress
In October 2023, after contracting COVID-19, I stopped running. In November, while traveling to Vegas for the F1, I realised I was stressed and anxious about returning to work. During the flight, I came across the book Unwind!. Its synopsis intrigued me:
“Unwind! is about optimizing your body, heart, mind, and soul, recognizing that any and all of these dimensions of your life affect your anxiety level.”
The book introduced me to a way of assessing stress:
- Resting heart rate
- Breathing patterns
- Respiration rate
- Levels of anxiety, irritability, and anger
- Fatigue and difficulty sleeping
- Eating patterns
- Headaches and gut trouble
- Depression or boredom
At the time, my resting heart rate was 66 bpm. By April 2024, it had peaked at 80 bpm. The data didn’t lie - something was clearly wrong.
We live in a world of sensors and monitors, constantly collecting data about our lives. My Apple Watch became an invaluable tool. Initially, I bought it to listen to music and track my runs without carrying my phone. Over time, its heart rate monitoring provided crucial insights into my health.
Resting heart rate is a particularly revealing metric. Apple defines it as:
“The average heart beats per minute when you’ve been inactive or relaxed for several minutes. A lower resting heart rate typically indicates better cardiovascular health. An increase may indicate stress, illness, or other issues.”
By tracking this data, I saw clear peaks. In March 2024, my resting heart rate hit 63 bpm, and by June, after leaving my role, it dropped to 56 bpm. The correlation between my health and stress was undeniable.
Overcoming Burnout
Burnout, while unquestionably harmful, often serves a deeper purpose, much like any serious illness - it forces you to pause, reassess, and make necessary changes. For me, this ultimately led to leaving a role that no longer aligned with my values.
“It is better to be at the bottom of a ladder you want to climb then half way up one you don’t”
- Tim Canterbury, The Office
The more I thought about it, the more I realised that I was climbing the wrong ladder - I wasn’t willing to compromise my values, nor was I willing to sacrifice my health or family life the way my boss had to get to his position for a company and industry that I didn’t believe in. This situation was in direct conflict with who I am. Living each day in denial, stuck in a role that clashed with my core values, was creating immense stress.
To avoid burnout in the future, I’ve learned to:
- Recognise when I’m exceeding my stress threshold.
- Take breaks and step back to reassess.
- Value my health as a top priority.
- Align my values with my role.
Reading Unwind! helped me define what matters most. I started to outline my values, principles, and the legacy I want to leave behind. I asked myself:
- What do I value most?
- What would loved ones say about me in their eulogies?
- What contribution do I want to make?
One value stood out: health. I want to be able to:
- Run around with my kids without tiring.
- Feel energetic and stress-free.
- Maintain my fitness, keeping my weight under control.
- Continue regular 5k runs.
By June 2024, I had started a new role, and my resting heart rate had dropped significantly. I’d reclaimed my health and, with it, my sense of self. Prioritising health isn’t just about living longer - it’s about living better.
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