To Help Others You Have To Take Care of Yourself First with Andy Heyden
Is work or family-related stress a major problem that you’re dealing with on an everyday basis? Our guest shares his method of handling stress and advice that will work for you!
In today’s episode, David sits down for a chat with Andy Heyden - an accomplished business and family man, but also a passionate runner with an incredible list of achievements.
Growing up, he was always compassionate and his love of animals drew him towards being a veterinarian or working as a zookeeper, but later in life he still followed in his father’s footsteps, pursuing and building up a career in finance.
The business studies degree and his experience working with Mercer Asset Management and Barclays certainly helped him ease into his current role as an Institutional Director, doing business development and working with large institutional investors in Australia and New Zealand as well.
Andy caught the running bug thanks to his father who would organize annual fun runs on New Year’s Day back in England, helping to raise money for the local football club. His father’s love and charity wouldn’t go unrequited as Andy later ran the London Marathon, raising money for the British Heart Foundation for 10 years in a row.
His passion for the sport resulted in a 25-year long running career, a total of 95 marathons under his belt, and he’s been on the Australian team for seven times in a row now. On top of that, Andy also has two Guinness World Record titles: running the fastest marathon dressed as a monk, and a record for 24-hour treadmill marathon of 425 kilometers in 24 hours.
The secret for such a long and successful running career and the reason why he’s still able to set new personal records is that he tries to make the most out of his runs whenever he gets a chance. It’s a mental battle as well: “Every time I go out for a race, I put it on the line because this could be the last chance.”
Juggling a busy work life, family obligations and running is not easy, but the secret to that is simply prioritization. For Andy, work and family come first, running is next. “Squeezing in runs on the commute to and from work and doing them early in the morning means the less you’re missing the kids on the weekend.”
Running also provides the ever-so-needed downtime and break from the work routine. “If you don’t get out for exercise - you get more tense, more stressed and less productive, while after exercises, your energy levels are up, you are engaged and enthusiastic.” It’s the endorphin release that matters, and it’s what Andy says make him a better dad, husband and employee.
Andy’s challenge for you over the coming week is: Be in the Moment!
Whatever you’re doing right now, focus on that and let the other distractions wait and pick up on them one at a time. “I love running on my own, I don’t listen to music, I just go out, enjoy nature. No distractions, you can hear yourself breathing and the sounds around you, that is really being in the moment.”
