Adviser urges his industry colleagues to get healthier to be sharper
Mortgage brokers have a below average level of fitness, suggests specialist mortgage adviser Sam Hutchins (pictured), and by embracing a healthier, more active lifestyle, they will perform better in their industry roles. Having been dedicated to working out for the past ten years, Hutchins believes that if brokers – and indeed lender personnel - step up their fitness, they will see returns in terms of their professional achievements.
Hutchins is clear in his appraisal of his industry colleagues’ general fitness levels, taking into account their weight, activity levels and diet. “I can only speak from my experience, of what I see in the industry,” he told Mortgage Introducer. “I would say it's below average. Working in the industry, I think you have got a predisposition to probably leaning towards the more unhealthy side of things. Don't get me wrong, I do understand how it can be difficult to live a healthy lifestyle. It's not like we're doing heavy, manual labour, where naturally you'll burn more calories. We sit at a desk, sometimes for up to nine hours a day, staring at a computer screen. If you're a BDM and you're constantly on the road, the only food options you have are a service station, which has probably got a McDonald's and a Costa.”
Hutchins notes that there are some in the finance industry who, like him, are really are into their fitness. Adopting a healthier lifestyle can only be a positive, in his view. “I think it makes you a better broker by being fit and healthy, to be honest with you,” he said. “You're more on your game, you will be less likely to make mistakes. If you're able to perform physically, it's going to naturally crossover and help you in other areas of your life. You're mentally more switched on if your diet's better. If you're getting a good amount of steps in a day, I think you are going to be naturally sharper and be able to make better decisions when it comes to your job.” He also points to the fact that if you look after your health, this could prevent some conditions down the line that could otherwise stop you working at all.
Hutchins, 24, developed a passion for the gym and for weight training in his early teens, after watching fitness videos on YouTube. He urged his parents to get him a dumbbell set for Christmas and to let him join a gym – it changed his life. “I was never particularly sporty in school, I was naturally a very skinny kid,” he shared. “I just finally found something physical that I actually enjoyed – it’s always been a passion for me. I couldn't put into words how much it gives me confidence in all sorts of things. Whether it's meeting clients face-to-face, whether it's building relationships, if you feel more confident in yourself, you can better build relationships with other people and you're a better communicator.
READ MORE: How a childhood fascination with property led to broker success
A healthy lifestyle could boost brokers’ well-being
Going to the gym – either before work or afterwards – has an impact on Hutchins’ well-being too, he observes. “If I've had a bad day, I've had a stressful day, had a difficult client or a case that’s been declined, the gym makes it better,” he explained. “It takes the weight off your shoulders for a bit and allows you to go into the next day thinking, ‘Right, a new day, let's see what I can do to make it right.’ Hutchins believes that three visits a week to a gym – time he suggests that people might otherwise spend scrolling on their phone or watching Netflix – will have a positive impact on mortgage professionals. Planning healthy meals, walking a dog, or even purchasing a standup desk and a treadmill to get exercise while you work, will all make a difference. “If it matters to you, you will make time for it,” he said. “After a couple of weeks or a couple of months, it just becomes second nature and you know you're going to feel better after it.”
Dorset-based Hutchins has recently set up a new initiative, Fitness in Finance. It provides online fitness coaching for finance professionals by finance professionals. “My thought process was that a lot of people in financial services have busy, busy jobs and I have a busy job in financial services as well,” he said. “I can relate to them because I'm also doing a job in the financial services industry that takes up a lot of time and is quite stressful. It's coming from someone who lives what they're talking about. They can talk more openly about the issues they have and how they struggle to fit things in.” He added: “You could be turning over six or seven figures and be rolling in it, but if you're not mentally happy or physically fit, what does it matter at the end of the day? You could be one of the top brokers in the country or a lender lending billions each year, but I don't think that counts much if you're not fit and healthy. I want the industry to be a more healthy industry.”
