Mahesh Singhi, founder and Managing Director of Singhi Advisors, believes that workout enhances his work significantly
Known as Mahesh ‘deal’ Singhi, he started his entrepreneurial journey in 1989, when he came to Mumbai for the first time. Hailing from a typical middle class, service mindset family background from Rajasthan and having lost his paltry paid job of `1400 as a shop floor engineer, he came to this city of dreams. The best he could think was to advise first time entrepreneurs in setting up factories on a ‘Concept to Commissioning’ basis!
There has been no looking back since then. Today his company is amongst top 10 M&A advisory firms in India, having global footprint in 22 countries through strategic stake in one of the largest global network- ‘Mergers Alliance’ and the largest mid-market focused M&A advisory team, having closed over 1000 transactions since inception. He says, “for a first generation entrepreneur like me, life is a deal, which is to be lived as it comes.”
A father of two teenagers, he loves spending free time socialising with friends or pursuing adventure sports with family.
In my 25 years in business, I have learnt that if I rise early, my productivity quotient on a daily basis is enhanced greatly. No matter where my busy schedule takes me around the globe, I routinely try to wake up at 6am. Rising early allows me to exercise regularly and spend quality moments with my family, putting me in a positive frame of mind before I get down to the business of the day. Charting a positive life pathway for achievement of goals involves:
I have always believed that the benefits of letting your team have the occasional blast at an after-hours get-together is a hugely important ingredient for creating a family atmosphere and a fun-loving, free-spirited corporate culture.
Life is not a dress rehearsal, so we should live each day to its full capacity
Look after yourself : I don’t smoke and I eat a balanced diet with a healthy proportion of fruits and vegetables. But I party hard. When I’m at home, I make it a point to party every night and live my life to the fullest.
Watch your weight : I have regular workout sessions which keeps me fit. I go to the gym even when I’m travelling, play tennis and go for walks. I also ran the marathon last year.
Sleep well : I sleep like a baby. I only need six hours a night.
My number one “secret” to greater productivity is to exercise and keep fit. Exercise increases energy levels, helps you to sleep better and improves your focus and concentration. I actually often get up early at 6am to walk!
Find a workout buddy or join a club that will encourage you to compulsorily exercise during some part of your day. One timeless proverb says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Achieve personal well-being and it will result in significant benefits for your career.
Besides a terrific workout, I make it a point to constantly learn about new trends in fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle. In addition, I read motivational messages to stay on track for leading a disciplinary life.
I have started a regular breakfast routine where previously I would have a serving of toast or cereal or even skip breakfast altogether. I have my daily dose of proteins through a combination of lentils and spinach at breakfast, which keeps me full all morning. Added benefit? Reduced body fat percentage and lower heart rate and lower numbers on the scale (I haven’t been this trim since I was in school!!)
Keeping fit and active is the best thing you can do for your health, for your creativity, and for your family relationships.
I love challenging myself, and love challenging the people around me,” especially when it comes to succeeding in otherwise established markets, where most businesses are “diabolically run.” Whether in business or life I am constantly challenging myself. I see everything as an opportunity to strengthen resolve, experiment and grow.
Find a workout buddy or join a club that will encourage you to compulsorily exercise during some part of your day. One timeless proverb says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Achieve personal well-being and it will result in significant benefits for your career
Find a routine that works for you : For some people achieving work-life balance depends on adhering to a strict routine: eat, sleep, exercise and repeat. However I don’t have a set routine. I believe that flexibility is the answer for me.
You can never be certain what tomorrow will throw at you, so the ability to adapt and prioritize is incredibly important. When a challenge presents itself, disrupting your plans, you need to be able to assess its potential and accordingly reorganise your to-do list.
To set priorities and give myself the space to focus, I write down lists of tasks, with an emphasis on details and time lines. This helps me to assess their possible impact on the company and organize my activities accordingly.”
Ditch the guilt : As much as working on your business is important, you need time away from work too. To ditch any guilt you might feel about stopping work, schedule some of your time in your planner for relaxation on a priority basis.
I’ve found that it’s not a good idea to dive straight into work when you wake up so I dedicate my mornings to exercise and have family time. It helps me clear my mind and energises me for the day ahead.
Have fun : This is often underrated, but you are far more likely to succeed if you are enjoying yourself.
If an opportunity doesn’t excite me, and if it’s not something through which I can make a difference in the world while having a lot of seriously creative fun, then I’d rather pass it on and move along to something else that does interest me.
Never hope to find time in your daily schedule to workout. Make the time to workout and reap the benefits!
There is a popular saying that ‘everybody loves a good party’.
At Singhi, we have always reveled in taking on the seemingly impossible rather than shying away and playing it safe. This applies as much to having a good time as to business, and we have never had any qualms about kicking back and enjoying a fun party with our people.
I have always believed that the benefits of letting your team have the occasional blast at an after-hours get-together is a hugely important ingredient for creating a family atmosphere and a fun-loving, free-spirited corporate culture. It also goes a long way to tearing down any semblance of hierarchy.
By Sharmila Chand
