Tips for Staying Healthy
1. I’m a big believer in these general rules: Eat frequent but smaller meals that are well balanced with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and less-processed foods; drink lots of water; splurge occasionally on a small amount of whatever treat you enjoy; and, of course, include a variety of exercise a few times a week!
—Sherri Lindenberg, Crump Life Insurance Services
2. I take a 15-minute walk each workday around 3 p.m.
—Beatrice Flammia, CMP, Fairmont Battery Wharf, Boston
3. If I am feeling sluggish, I start my day with a protein smoothie. Dr. Frank Lipman has great recipes in his book, Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Start Living Again. Also, if I am starting to feel sick, I take extra vitamin D for three days and avoid processed sugar.
—Meghan Schilt, CMP, Apax Partners
4. Always take at least 15 minutes a day to sit and literally do nothing. Just clear your mind, relax, and take in your surroundings. It helps to keep a level of sanity.
—Lynne Coyne, CMP, Manulife Financial
5. I relate the feeling to the action: I know how much better I will feel if I get out of bed for a workout in the morning. My day will start with confidence, zest, and energy.
—Ali Ginnett, independent event planner
6. Avoid future back problems by working your core muscles. The best exercises for this are planks and plank dips, which can be done anywhere.
—Paul Canez, Westin La Paloma, Tucson
7. Keep a food and exercise log. This allows you to monitor changes and evaluate your nutrition and exercise habits. If you revert to your old ways, you will always have a record of what works for you.
—Clarence Day, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui
Tips to Maintain Energy on the Road
8. Do 20 push-ups. It restores a sense of physical well-being and takes away stress stored in your shoulders.
—Mike Crist, El Conquistador Resort, Las Croabas, P.R.
9. I pack healthy pick-me-ups like almonds, raisins, and dark chocolate, so I’m prepared in the event of travel delays or missed meal times. And I never travel without a light pair of sneakers and workout attire, to take advantage of the usually nice fitness rooms in hotels or to take a brisk walk around the block—weather and time of day permitting!
—Sherri Lindenberg, Crump Life Insurance Services
10. Water and exercise. Fit it in. Exercise will get you a few extra hours of energy: Hitting the snooze button for 20 minutes will only buy you 20 minutes!
—Ali Ginnett, independent event planner
11. If you cannot get eight hours of sleep a night, take 10-minute naps whenever you can. It makes a world of difference. (Set two alarms, though, as you don’t want to be late.)
—Paul Canez, Westin La Paloma, Tucson
12. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This keeps your energy up and avoids blood-sugar crashes that cause you to overeat at lunch and dinner.
—Clarence Day, The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui
Tips for Maintaining Work/Life Balance
13. Priorities have to be flexible: Some days work is a priority, some days my kids are. As long as they each get a turn I feel balanced.
—Ali Ginnett, independent event planner
14. It is difficult to keep a constant balance, but what helps is to always keep focused on where you are at the time. When you are at home, truly be at home: That means turn the BlackBerry off!
—Lynne Coyne, CMP, Manulife Financial
15. Volunteer outside the meetings industry and enjoy the mental break while giving back. Also, schedule your vacation for the year ahead at the beginning of the year even if you don't have a specific trip or destination in mind. Use all of your paid time off—you worked hard for it!
—Tracey Brenneman, CMP, Allied/PRA Destination Management, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
16. Balance is a very personal concept. But what works well for me is the ability to multitask and to be an efficient user of what I call ‘free space.’ For example, I leverage the power of my smartphone, so that I always have both personal and business info at my fingertips. That way, if I choose, I can spend time cleaning up my work e-mail while waiting at a doctor’s office or I can read a book via the Kindle iPhone app while sitting on an airplane.
—Sherri Lindenberg, Crump Life Insurance Services