The Spanish proverb “A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools,” is particularly fitting for CNC shop owners, whether male or female. Running a demanding business with its tight deadlines, employee issues and financial risks takes a toll on even the heartiest of souls. That’s why paying attention to your health is so important.

You know only too well that if you want to get the most production and longest life out of your machine tools, you need two things: (1) a program of planned preventative maintenance, and (2) well trained machine operators who have good habits, like regularly checking fluid levels and keeping their work area clean and neat.

Well, the same is true of our personal health. Now, we’re not qualified to offer medical advice – you should meet with your primary care physician to establish a healthy living program that’s right for you – but here are some common-sense thoughts to consider and discuss with your doctor.:

• Get a yearly physical: Even if you’re feeling fine you should see your primary care physician annually to make sure there isn’t some hidden problem that needs attention before it becomes serious.
• Know your numbers. You use data to manage your business, improve productivity and maintain quality standards. If a machine produces out-of-tolerance parts, for example, you use the numbers to find and correct the problem. The same is true for your personal health: Knowing your blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index (BMI) chemistry and other data are clues to your overall wellbeing.
• Kick bad habits. If the scientific facts point to certain lifestyle activities – like smoking – as leading causes of ill health, doesn’t it make sense to give them up?
• Watch what you eat. We’re all inclined to take the path of least resistance when it comes to grabbing a meal on the run, especially lunch. Packing a healthy lunch (fresh, not processed foods) can help us stay away from fast foods and unhealthy snacks. Eating real food in reasonable proportions, is not only healthier, eating well helps us be more energized and focused during the workday.
• Get enough sleep. Our bodies need to restore themselves through deep, REM sleep. It’s like sending ourselves to the repair shop to mend the parts that breakdown during waking hours.
• Maybe you get enough walking the shop floor or running a job yourself. Even so, you’re probably not regularly using all of your muscles, so it might be a good idea to make time for a workout. Even professional athletes hit the gym to stay in shape.
• Reduce stress. Yes, that’s a tough one. Sometimes it’s hard to turn off the noises in your head about all that you have to deal with. However, stress can tear us down physically and emotionally. So find a stress-reducing outlet, whether it’s a hobby, a sport, yoga or maybe meditation.

Again, talk to a qualified doctor about a preventative health maintenance plan that will keep you in shape so you can make the most out of your CNC shop. And when it comes to getting the best performance out of your production equipment, contact your local Gosiger facility. With 95+ years of experience serving manufacturers and an unequalled depth of machine tool, automation and applications experience, our team will help keep your shop healthy and profitable.