New Year, New YOU!
The marketing and PR industries go mad at this time of year, bashing out ‘new year, new you’ messages – it’s one of those calendar hooks which we play on every January and the media usually indulges us by covering them, thank goodness!
I try to start each year with a fresh approach and lots of great intentions that usually fizzle out as soon as the business day gets manic again in the first week!
Our first team meeting this month was full of positive ideas and aspirations for the year ahead; we’re working towards some new client events, new ways of communicating and partnerships with some lovely organisations across the region, including a luxury venue. It’s exciting.
But I recognise that to fulfill all these goals we need to have not only healthy, agile and creative minds, but healthy bodies too. And that’s where I unfortunately stumble. I like to think of myself as a hugely motivated – and motivating – person, but I know my weakness and that is exerting myself in terms of physical exercise!
I’m good at running around between meetings, school runs and flying up and down the stairs in the office. But the thought of going to a gym brings me out in the wrong kind of sweat. They say the risk of developing diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer – all of which are rife in my family history – is doubled in the physically inactive and unfit compared with those who are most active.
Oh dear! I think I need to adjust my attitude.
So, my next question is where do you find the time to fit in the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week? That’s the equivalent of a decent meeting, maybe two if I’m not suffering from my usual scourge of verbal diarrhoea.
We seem to be in an endless, exhausting cycle of time-stretched stress-busting, aiming to improve productivity, increase energy levels, eat better, drink less alcohol (which lets face it, does help the stress) and adopt a healthy lifestyle – all in the space of seven days! How many people do we know who joke that a glass of wine is one of our five-a-day? I’m still waiting for Ferrero Rocher to be acknowledged as one of our five-a-day too. And no they’re not a client (unfortunately), by giving them such a blatant plug!
My blatant plug of the month has to go to Hoburne Holiday Parks as it is the best time of year to book that family holiday and, I know I’m biased, but these guys know how to throw a good ol’ British family holiday full of memories in the making. They’re Dorset-based with seven Parks from Cornwall through to Devon, Somerset, Christchurch, New Forest and the Cotswolds and achieve good repeat custom with many guests returning year after year. We’ve just started ramping up awareness of their Centenary year to be celebrated in 2012. Running a business so successfully for 100 years is pretty impressive and they’ve cleverly managed to maintain all their traditional values whilst remaining contemporary. Long may they rein!
Check out their website www.hoburne.co.uk especially the luxury new lodges at Hoburne Naish. They come with a Wii and everything! Maybe that could be my way of getting fitter – visiting Naish and using the Wii Fit? (No, Nintendo’s not a client either – but we’d quite like them to be! Anyone got a contact?)
Well, hopefully I can come back next month stating smugly that my plan to exercise more regularly and eat more healthily has been stuck to. Wish me luck…unfortunately I know my will power only too well!
Bests,
Liz x
