By Wayne Weiner, D.Ed.
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who take care of their health and those who plan to—eventually. The second group is well-intentioned but often falls victim to the most dangerous affliction of all: “I’ll start Monday” syndrome. Unfortunately, Monday never comes, much like that treadmill gathering dust in the basement.
The Delusion of Future Self-Care
Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a noted psychiatrist and neuroscientist, once said, “The problem with humans is we think we’re in control. The problem with life is that it knows we’re not.” The same can be said about our health habits. We believe we’ll make better choices tomorrow, but tomorrow arrives, and we’re still eating nachos for breakfast (and wondering why our back hurts).
A Lesson from the Corporate Trenches
During my consulting career, I worked with a senior executive who refused to take breaks. He prided himself on working 80-hour weeks, surviving on energy drinks and sheer stubbornness. His idea of stress management was barking at subordinates. Then, one day, his body staged a coup—heart attack, front and center. As he recovered, he told me, “Wayne, I always thought I was too busy to take care of my health. Turns out, I wasn’t. Now, I have all the time in the world—doctor’s orders.”
The Myth of “The Right Time”
There is never a “perfect” time to prioritize your health. Your inbox will always be full, deadlines will never stop looming, and there will always be a reason to put yourself last. But here’s the hard truth: if you don’t make time for your health, your body will make time for you—often in the form of an ER visit.
The Practical Side of Self-Care
So, what’s the solution? Start small. Take a walk between meetings, swap one soda for water, and, for the love of sanity, get some sleep. Think of self-care like saving for retirement—small deposits now prevent financial ruin later. The same goes for your body and mind.
Final Thoughts
I’ve written 30 books on leadership, personal development, and, yes, even the pitfalls of human behavior. If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: you can’t lead others if you’re running on empty. So, take the walk, eat the salad, and get some sleep. Your future self will thank you—preferably from a beach, not a hospital bed.
Wayne Weiner, D.Ed., is an author, philosopher, and worldwide consultant known for his innovative coaching actions. He can be contacted at wweiner20@gmail.com. Immanuel Kant stated, “Moral dilemmas are ‘not a mathematical system of good and evil.’” In other words, doing “good” does not have an immediate payoff. Dr. Weiner has over forty years of leadership and organizational development experience. He was the director of Education at Harvard Teaching Hospital and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. He later set up his own consulting firm that provided a range of human resource services to the federal government, colleges, universities, Native American communities, international corporations, and a White House cabinet member. He serves on several boards. For the past ten years, he has consulted to the National Institutes of Health as their Senior Leadership Consultant. Dr. Weiner has also written 30 books.
For more insights, visit drweinerinsights.com.
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