Will I die early being an entrepreneur?

This article first appeared August 17, 2009.

Dear Aunty B,

I am in my 50s and left a secure job to start my own business because I wanted more time for myself.

Instead, I find that I am at the beck and call of my board, my employees, my customers, my suppliers and anyone else I can think of.

Although I am only working a 50 hour week, I am concerned about what the hours and stress are doing to my life. Do you know if there is any research on entrepreneur health? Do we die younger?

LD,
Port Melbourne

Dear LD,

Work is not going to kill you unless you let it. In fact, there is a lot of research out there that shows a certain amount of stress is good for you! I would imagine a secure job where you are chained to your desk being told what to do by an incompetent boss would be far more stressful.

What you need to do is take back control. First what is going to make you live a long time?

A new study by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta says there are four rules: exercising regularly, staying slim, eating a healthy diet and never smoking.

Following those rules will reduce your chances of developing chromic disease by 80%. You are 93% less likely to develop diabetes, 81% less likely to have a heart attack, 50% less likely to have a stroke and your chance of developing cancer will be reduced by 36%.

The most important was to be slim, with a BMI lower than 30, followed by no smoking, regular exercise then healthy eating. BMI is a comparison of a person’s weight and their height. A score of between 20 and 25 is considered normal, while above 25 is overweight and above 30 obese. And I knew you’d ask. The score is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared.

To stay fit you have to exercise for at least three and a half hours a week, not be obese, eat a diet high in fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods, cut down on the red meat and not smoke. Yes it requires discipline – but you know all about that running your own business.

So anyway back to the question: are you going to die young?

No, of course you are not, unless you are unlucky in the gene allocation. After all, you are the boss and you can allocate time for the gym and time to shop for healthy ingredients. Of course you don’t smoke and as you run the joint you can ban lollies in the office and replace the birthday cake with party hats.

And the best news? Being an optimist is also good for your health and can cut the chances of heart attack, according to research. And I have never met an entrepreneur who was not an optimist.

Good luck,
Your Aunty B

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