How balanced diet, meditation and gymming helps this financial analyst avoid mental stress

How a financial analyst depends on meditation, timely eating habits and gymming in the evenings to take his mind off work and what we can learn from it.

Mayuresh Joshi is the Head of Equity Research at William O’Neil India. While he makes a living out of crunching numbers and extrapolating data on the basis of algorithms and analysing price movement all day, it is going back to the basics routine of a balanced diet, meditation, and time in the gym that helps him prevent a complete mental burnout.

Being a financial analyst in this day and age is an energy-sapping, mentally-draining affair and any individual needs to have a strong support system around him in order to function healthily on a regular basis.

What's even more emphatic is the fact that this is something that most of us have to tangle with on a daily basis. With the pressure of work and various responsibilities breathing down our necks, it may be difficult to disconnect and stay mentally fresh.

For Mayuresh Joshi, the answer lies in a very disciplined daily routine which keeps him in tip-top shape both physically and mentally. “Being mentally and physically fit is an essential requirement in the competitive environment that we are all living in. My routine is straightforward,” he says.

“Get in bed early, get up early in the morning, meditate for 10 minutes, pray for some time, and begin your daily routine with a healthy breakfast.”

When he is not staring at the screen for hours to track price fluctuations of various companies, Mayuresh takes breaks during the day to listen to music. He also tunes in to watch some sport-related video as it helps him curb any stress that may have been building up in the previous hours.

This technique of getting work done in short bursts of focused small periods while taking breaks in between is known as the Pomodoro Technique. Not only professionals, but even students can implement this in their regular studying routines to ensure discipline, focus, and more importantly, consistency.

“Having food on time is equally important, and my better half ensures it is a balanced intake. Timely food helps you stay sharp and focused,” he also added.

Plenty of studies and research has gone into this field and there's no doubt that a balanced diet involving carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals is essential for healthy functioning. Combining various food sources regularly with proper vegetables and fruits also allows us to harness more energy and go about our day on a stronger note.

The evenings are crucial when it comes to decompressing and that is a great period for those who struggle to advocate time during the day because of their jobs to look after their bodies. Similarly, Mayuresh also hits the gym at 6PM and takes a break from watching the screen all day in order to put all his energy into physical fitness and improvement. After dinner, he usually reads a light book in order to take his mind off his work and ensure a stress-free sleep.

Similarly, the weekends can also be extremely important for busy individuals who need unwinding after a hectic week's work. The need is to be stress-free during weekends and as such, going for small tours, spending time with family, taking a walk in nature, playing team sport and activities, meeting up with friends or even staying at home and watching a film, hearing music or reading books are great ideas that individuals can undertake.

“It [the weekend]is the time to largely unwind, spend time with family and friends, go on drives or nature walks, and play a sport,” says Mauresh.

Inevitably, there’s also a focus on protecting and improving his mental health given that professional lives have extreme highs and lows that may take a massive toll on those that are fiscally and emotionally invested in it on a daily basis.

“The decision to focus on mental health stemmed from the realization that one cannot always be right and that if we are wrong, we should accept it, analyze the omission, and move on.

“The stress that comes along with work and the burden of expectations takes a toll. Still, one needs to remain careful to not let situations overwhelm oneself; therefore, being calm and poised helps one pass through those stressful periods,” he further added.