Is Your Small Business Making You Fat?

Keeping a business afloat in this tough economy can be a big challenge. Lots of owners are putting in more time at work -- and it's taking a toll on their health, a new study shows.

The study of more than 2,000 business owners, from business-research company Manta, showed new business activity rose 12 percent in the third quarter. Overall, business owners declared it a good year -- 72 percent said they had a successful 2011.

But hitting the gym -- not so much.

In the study, 44 percent of respondents said the tougher business conditions this year sent their work/life balance out of whack:

-One in three said they worked out less
-22 percent report they've gained weight
-14 percent said they lose their temper and argue more with family and co-workers

The prime cause of the additional flab and missed gym appointments? More work hours.

Well more than half of respondents -- 63 percent -- said they're averaging more than 40 hours a week at work. Nearly one in ten said they put in more like 70 hours a week.

On a positive note, most business owners surveyed seemed to see 2011 as a dark tunnel from which they expect to shortly emerge. Over 90 percent of the owners were optimistic about their company's growth potential for next year.

Word to the wise: Don't let work knock out your workouts. It's important to stay healthy and fit -- or your health will suffer, and then your business will ultimately suffer, too.

One way to do that is to delegate more. Another is to look at how your business is set up.

Does your business model allow you to walk away from the business and take breaks, or do you have to be there all the time? Maybe take the holidays to think about how your business runs -- and how it could be restructured to need less face time from you.