This is not a drill

We talk a lot about making sure employees’ mental health and physical well-being are top of mind for every roofing company owner. But owners are people, too, and can suffer in ways that can drastically affect their health.

The Wall Street Journal recently published the article “How to survive being a 24/7 Boss,” and the author, Callum Borchers, notes CEOs and company owners “will be paid handsomely but may have fewer years to enjoy earnings because the stress of the role can reduce life expectancy.”

Common ailments among company leaders include stress-related heart attacks, stomach ulcers, lack of sleep and poor diets, all of which could lead to fatalities.

Borchers interviewed a handful of CEOs who seem to have unlocked the code to a less stressful life and asked them for some tips; consider the following:

• Diet and exercise are important, of course, but commit to taking regular time off to recharge. Maybe this means declining more events or meetings where your presence is not crucial.
• When a meeting gets cancelled, seize that time to do something you truly enjoy like listening to your favorite music, going to a local coffee shop or getting some fresh air.
• Prioritize sleep. There are many tech gadgets available that can help you measure how well or poorly you are sleeping so you can make adjustments as needed.
• Scale back when possible. Running a company is a marathon not a sprint. Reserve your time and energy for the issues that matter most and delegate the rest to trusted team members.

Remember that as much as you need and want your employees to be healthy physically and mentally, they need and want you to do the same.

AMBIKA PUNIANI REID is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA’s vice president of communications.