Healthy meetings must start with a healthy planner

In the report The 10 Most Stressful Jobs of 2017 by Forbes, Event Management came in 5th, beaten only by enlisted military, firefighters, pilots and police, which are undoubtedly high pressure, high-risk careers. While no one is going to die as a result of planning an event or meeting, any meeting planner will attest, the job is stressful and demanding and requires heavy travel (you often live in airplanes and hotels) and deadlines rule your world.

With a new focus on healthier meetings that incorporate wellness, it’s fair to state that healthy meetings must start with a healthy planner. How can a planner take better care of themselves so they can focus on planning healthy meetings? The first step is to acknowledge that health and wellness is a lifestyle, not a seasonal hobby. As a figure competitor and meeting planner, Here are my top five tips for staying well:

1. Disconnect. Studies have shown that you’ll be 30% less productive if you check email within 60 minutes of waking. Why? You go into fear and stress mode straight away. The number one cause of stress is the feeling of not having enough time. Oh and btw, stress is highly contagious.

2. Keep 45–50 minute hours. In other words, schedule meetings/calls for 25 minutes vs 30 minutes or 50 minutes instead of 60. This will allow you downtime in between meetings to process, and avoid the feeling of being rushed.

3. Recharge daily for 5–10 minutes several times throughout your day.We need downtime. Examples include connect with a friend, perform an act of kindness, physical exercise, aromatherapy, take a walk outside, play with kids, or pets, guided meditation, listen to music.

4. Eat healthy. Drink at least one gallon of water a day. Stay away from sugary snacks and opt for healthy whole fruits, plain nuts, raw veggies.

5. Exercise. Find an activity that raises your heartbeat and that you truly enjoy. That may be a run in your neighborhood, or a session on the treadmill in your house while you watch the Young & the Restless. It may be playing beach volleyball a few nights a week, or weight training. Find what works for you, and stick with it.

Feel free to reach out and share your tips on staying well. Look for my next blog post where I’ll discuss tips for incorporating wellness into your meeting.