Forty year old Ryoma Eguchi may seem like a typical expat professional in Hong Kong. Born in Japan, educated in Australia and now working in Hong Kong as head of the Enterprise Technology Group at The Executive Centre, Ryoma is a hard-working, dedicated and successful business leader.
Those who work closely with him are not only inspired by his work in the office, but also by his dedication to the sport of Touch Rugby. Ryoma has coached and played with championship teams in Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. But frequent business travel and overnight flights are the biggest obstacles that he faces in maintaining a high performance lifestyle.
What is most remarkable is how he is able to integrate his rigorous international training and competition schedule with the demands of work and family life. Check out our interview below where we discuss how success on the pitch translates to success in the boardroom.
ALMA Wellness: In 15 words or fewer, define the word “healthy”
Ryoma: Being able to perform at my best.
ALMA Wellness: To what extent do you believe that being healthy has helped you achieve success in the workplace?
Ryoma: Very much. I am very productive and mostly focused throughout the whole day.
RyomaTouch
ALMA Wellness: What results do you attribute to your healthy lifestyle?
Ryoma: I have achieved the top performance award by my current employer two years in arrow. During this time I also trained hard and won the MVP award at the Shanghai International Touch Football tournament in Shanghai.
ALMA Wellness: What regular activities keep you healthy?
Ryoma: Eating whole foods rather than processed foods (e.g. grilled chicken rather than burgers) has worked well for me. I eat less bread and replace it with rice. Even though I have very busy work days, I make time to train at the gym two times per week and play Touch Rugby once or twice a week. I also do stretches at home and in the office.
ALMA Wellness: How have you proactively addressed the challenges of frequent travel?
Ryoma: I am careful with the type of food I take before and during the flight. I stop drinking alcohol before and during the flight. I drink more water.
ALMA Wellness: What is your most influential “healthy ritual” that others may want to adopt?
Ryoma: A small change to your routine to make one healthy habit at a time.