Fitness expenses for maintaining and improving productivity and efficiency in case of self-employed people, professionals, and businessman should be allowed liberally .

Fitness is essential to maintain productivity, efficiency, and zeal to work.

Efforts for maintaining fitness must be continuous. A small let up can cause disproportionate loss.

Promotion and incentive for fitness will go a long way in benefitting society and reduce medical care budget of governments.

In case of self-employed people, professionals, and businessman personal fitness has direct correlation with his/ her productivity, output of work and earnings.

Therefore, maintaining fitness is very important for anyone not only for better living but also for better working, earning, and prospects.

Being fit help in doing more work on more working days and  for more hours, do better, get more results in terms of output of work and quality of work.

There will be less absents from work.

With better productivity one will be able to spare time to learn and train, contact more people to get more opportunity.

Fitness is therefore essential not for living but also for carrying any activity, business, profession, vocation etc. successfully.

Time spent on activities:

In case of self-employed and professionals a major part of life is spent towards professional  education, training, skills development.

Even after completing education, training and initial experience when a professional  or other self-employed person starts and carry professional or business activities, his major time is spent in profession and business.

Daily time on business and professional activities can vary between 10-16 hours daily. Even during other activities, business and professional matters are attended.

PROFESSIONAL – as employee or as self-employed:

A professionally qualified person may be employed by others and / or can be  self-employed.

In case of employed professionals any employee related  expenses incurred by employer for fitness of employees is allowed in hands of employer.

Even incentives are given for better productivity and efficiency,  more work, less absents  etc.  which are result of better health and  fitness. Incentives so paid by employer to employees are also allowable.

Therefore, there is no reason for not allowing fitness expenses incurred by self-employed professional.

Off course personal element out of such expenses is to be reasonably estimated  and should not be claimed.

Balance of expenses will be wholly and exclusively for his business and / or profession.

General perceptions about health and fitness:

For any person health and fitness are crucial at all stages of life for present as well as future.

For self-employed people and professionals  to maintain and improve  productivity and efficiency fitness is essential.

Regular exercises, work outs, yoga, meditation, games and sports of various kind not only help general fitness but also   boosts energy, enhances focus, concentration,  results into higher productivity all  these as a result  improves mood, reduces stress, better cognitive function and increased motivation to handle workloads. 

Implementing and including  physical activity through techniques like desk stretches, walking meetings, and corporate wellness programs not only improves an individuals well-being and reduces absenteeism but also supports higher overall organizational performance and helps foster a positive work environment in any organization.

Even in case of self-employed people, they have some organization may be small but some people are engaged who also get motivation if the boss ( self-employed person) has better fitness and is more active.

Fitness activities results :

•  Energy,stamina, endurance :

Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular health, increasing energy levels and stamina to handle demanding tasks and deadlines. 

•  Cognitive Function:

Improved blood flow to the brain, enhancing focus, memory, and problem-solving abilities. 

•  Mood & Motivation:

Physical activity releases endorphins and serotonin, leading to a more positive outlook, better mood, and increased motivation for work. 

•  Stress management:

Exercise acts as a natural stress reliever, help self-employed and  professionals to manage heavy workloads and the pressures from all related people – customers/ clients, stake holders. 

•  Creativity:

Physical and mental exercises and  activities stimulates the brain and enhances divergent thinking, which is key for generating creative ideas and solutions. 

•  Confidence:

A fit body contributes to increased self-esteem and mental resilience, benefiting confidence in professional settings. 

Benefits:

Whether it be individual ( self-employed) or his employees and also in large organizations providing fitness facilities to employees several benefits are derived including:

• Higher Productivity:

Fit  persons  are more productive and  efficient and can tackle more tasks, multi tasks, which  directly result into increased productivity. 

• Reduced Absenteeism:

Healthier and fit  persons  are likely to attend work space more than in case of less fit persons. 

• Improved Team Dynamics:

A healthy, fit and attentive positive workforce fosters better collaborative  and  more positive work culture. 

• Lower medical and  Healthcare Costs:

Fit persons will have lesser  medical and  healthcare costs. 

Therefore, expenses incurred towards achieving goals of higher productivity, efficiency, result orientation etc. are for the purpose of business and profession. Some element of personal expense can be attributed in reasonable manner and should not be claimed. However, a major part can be attributed  for earning by carrying business and profession. Such expenses should be allowed liberally in hands of a person who is self-employed for himself and also for his employees.

In case of large  employers, such expenses are allowed even if a part is spent on people who are not employee but who are related to employees and even local people. In those cases, human resource development is also considered an important aspect while considering expenses incurred for the purpose of business. Therefore, expenses of maintaining schools, colleges,  hospitals, prayer centers etc. are also allowed.

Same principal is applicable to self-employed persons also, with better health  and fitness society get more valuable human resources. Therefore, expenses for health and fitness should be allowed for   self-employed person himself as well as for his employees.

More fitness  of people will also lead to lower public spending on medical care of public. Therefore, by incentivizing and liberally allowing fitness expenses, in long-term society will be benefitted in many direct and indirect manners.

Therefore, governments should apply liberal approach towards fitness activities being followed and carried by people and organisations   and deductions against income and lower GST should be levied on fitness activities and equipments etc. This will save costs of governments towards medical care and welfare activities.