Note to readers: Fit to lead is a series of interviews with business leaders on their approach to fitness, leadership and navigating the new normal.
The brand he heads is all about sports and activity and his work involves meeting a fair number of world-class sportspersons, including the star batsman Rohit Sharma. But Sahil Jandial, 34, didn’t have to wait till he met the sports stars to find inspiration for adopting an active lifestyle.
“I started my fitness journey at the age of 17. I had a break in between my examinations and I had free time. A dear friend of mine and I decided to 
utilise this time in an effective way. We thought the best way to utilise it was to get fit, healthy, and be ready for the next thing life throws at us. And I'm really glad that I started at that young age and I had that type of awareness at that time,” says the brand business manager of Oakley India.
As with most people, Covid impacted both his personal and work life and many of his habits changed and also made him aware of things he didn’t think much about pre-pandemic. Jandial used to enjoy running but once Covid hit, he gravitated towards yoga and HIIT to build inner strength.
The pandemic also made him realise that life is very unpredictable. Bearing that in mind, he recommends not looking solely at long-term goals. “Of course, you should have a long-term goal but break it down into short-term goals, achieve them and then make it big,” he says.
In the new normal, he has come to realise that fitness is not limited to the physical aspect, mental health matters too. He recommends meditatation for a fit mind. Edited excerpts from an interview:
Your fitness routine…
I mix up HIIT, yoga, weight training and running, depending on my mood… Like yoga for flexibility and keeping me calm, weight training to tone the body.
Favourite fitness activity…
HIIT. It makes me feel quicker, better, and much healthier.
Your toughest?
Running… it needs a lot of preparation… it’s really tough.
Your new normal…
Since Covid, we have all become really aware about our health and safety. At work our behaviour has changed to make sure that we take care of each other… even in tough times.
At home, health has become our top priority. As a family we cherish our time together, we take proper precautions when we go out and take care of our diet. We make sure that it contains all the vitamins and minerals that our body needs to build the kind of immunity that is required.
Has your fitness routine, in any way, helped you navigate the uncertainties of the current times?
It has really helped to keep myself calm and take proper decisions during tough times. I'm really glad that I have continued that (Covid fitness routine), and it is still helping me a lot. I will continue to do this.
Jandial loves HIIT, finds running toughest.
The one change you would encourage your teammates to make to deal with the challenges of current times…
Start meditating. A lot of times I hear people say they don’t have the time because of office and commute, I would say start with 10 minutes, and see the results… you will trust the process after that.
In these uncertain times there is a lot of anxiety among people, and meditation helps beat that. It has taught me to live in the present, which has reduced my anxiety.
Leadership lessons in your fitness journey…
One is endurance. When you run, you endure through the entire run, try to make the best use of the different facilities available at that time to emerge from that situation in the best possible manner.
Second is planning. Like all fitness goals, everything needs a plan. As they say… a fool with a plan is better than an intelligent person who doesn't have any. That is something that I have learned from my fitness journey.
Next is focus. Be it yoga, be it meditation, be it running, in all of it I have learnt the importance of staying in the present and focusing on the current scenarios.
Finally, comes staying calm. Meditation and yoga have taught me the value of remaining calm even in uncertain times.
What impact does your image of a “fit leader” have on your team?
I'm blessed to work with a brand like Oakley, where the brand ethos is to lead an active lifestyle. All of us try to live an active life. I get inspired by my team and my team finds inspiration in me. The team is young, they are into all kinds of activities like running, cycling, yoga… and somewhere I think that I inspire them to stay calm and fit.
Has being fit helped you become a better leader and a better version of yourself?
Of course. It has helped me become quicker and better. When you do a lot of physical activity and put in a significant effort, you become conscious about what you eat and that improves nutrition. And that, somewhere, has helped me become a better version of myself. Finally, along with a fit body and mind comes confidence. Fitness makes me feel better and, consequently, confident.
On striking a work-life balance…
I give myself an hour early morning where I deal with myself, talk to myself. During that time I don't have to talk to anyone or listen to anyone. That prepares me for the rest of the day, helps me deal with people better and also helps me dedicate more time to my family. After that I feel less stressed for the rest of the day and I'm able to deal with all the challenges that are thrown at me.
Goals for the year…
Because I was down with Covid in January, and I've just come out of it, I feel better now that I'm coming back to my original shape of mine before Covid. So, I feel that for next year, I would like to go back where I was when I left working out and (then) increase my workout time and physical activity to stay and to become more fit. Second, I would also like to increase my meditation time. The time that I'm giving to meditation as of now is much less than what my endeavour is. And that's what I'm targeting for next year.
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