It goes without saying that the best investment you can ever make is in your health and wellbeing. It’s all good busting your gut at work to bring home the bread and don’t get me wrong, it’s great to be able to afford nice things, but sometimes the best things in life are free, and they are often overlooked. To me, health and wellbeing is fundamental, as is spending time with my family and friends. It’s something money can’t buy.

I have the utmost admiration for anyone that has put their all into being financially successful; however, if that success makes you ill as a result of working too hard and putting excess stress on your body, it can have an adverse effect on both your physical and mental health. In fact, a stressful work environment can knock years off your life. It is all about finding balance; work hard, but in moderation so you can reap the rewards of being successful whilst looking after yourself. There is a positive correlation between being active, eating healthily and life expectancy. Everyone knows this, but not everyone chooses to follow these basic principles. Essentially, if you invest in yourself, you are buying yourself time – a priceless commodity.

The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered “Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” 

A one-hour workout is a mere 4% of your day and I truly believe everyone can make time to get active if they really want to. The same goes for eating healthily; many of us are happy to spend hundreds of pounds on one restaurant meal or a night out on the town but are not as willing to invest in quality, healthy and nutritious foods at home. 

I aim to live a life that reads something like this “man lives in balance, invests his money to benefit his health. Then enjoys a prolonged healthy life, with his family and friends”.

Exercise doesn’t have to take up too much of your time, so I’ve put together a quick full body circuit that only takes 4 minutes per circuit and you can repeat up to 5 times. It is a great way to burn body fat, shape, tone and sculpt a lean body (most effective with a healthy, balanced diet).

• 30 seconds for each exercise.
• Exercises are back to back.
• 4 minutes total per circuit.
• Repeat for 3-5 circuits with a 2-minute rest interval between each circuit. 

– Body weight squat
– Press up
– Plank
– Alternating jumping lunges
– Deadbugs
– Mountain climbers
– Split squats
– Hip bridge

Callum Melly is the UK’s leading personal training expert, a fitness model and founder of body transformation programme BODY IN 8. His aim is to educate people on how to lead a healthier lifestyle that is maintainable.