As a meeting and event professional, who do you consider to be your most important client or business partner? Perhaps the one you’ve had the longest relationship with? Or maybe the one you collaborate with most closely, almost like family?
Each one of us might have a very different answer. But have you ever considered that you should top this list? What if we started taking care of ourselves the way we all so beautifully take care of others? How many of us practice true hospitality with ourselves?
Last month we explored some of the raw, sincere emotions we’re all going through, no different than experiencing the Five Stages of Grief. But while it’s vital we recognize and name what we’re feeling, it is essential that we work toward giving ourselves the care necessary to heal and nurture ourselves.
“What if we started taking care of ourselves the way we all so beautifully take care of others?”
We’ll go out on a limb here, venturing a guess that for the most part your life pre-March was set to a grueling pace at best. Are we right? If you’re currently experiencing a pause or any sort of shift at all (personally or professionally), we encourage you to take this opportunity and invest more in yourself, especially considering the rollercoaster of the past few months.
Here are some key areas you can focus on, along with tips and resources.
Nutrition
We’ve heard it all before, but it bears repeating: Focus on whole food nutrition, stay away from those processed foods and drink plenty of water. We’re used to traveling and being onsite, working at all hours and not necessarily having control over what we eat or when. Now is a great time to finally have a chance to make healthier choices! If you need an app for that, we hear amazing things about Noom, and we love Fill it Forward.
Fitness
It’s been said that in our current era, sitting is the new smoking. Movement is absolutely crucial to overall health, and we must be intentional about it, especially as more of our time these days is spent at home. Take a morning or mid-day walk (or both!), begin practicing yoga, pause to stretch every 30 to 60 minutes or check out some of the amazing fitness apps/programs available. Liza Doyle, senior producer at L37 Creative, shared some phenomenal options in her recent post for the MPI Chicago Area Chapter. Further, be sure you’re getting quality sleep every night (as tempting as it is to watch another episode on Netflix!).
Mind & Soul
While taking care of our physical bodies is important, we cannot neglect our mental and spiritual needs. Our industry already registered off-the-charts stress levels before March, and even though some of the stressors have changed, the impact of stress hasn’t. Meditation, reading, breathing and just BEING can have a profound effect on our wellbeing. Check out these apps for some inspiration and perspective: Sanvello, Muse, Headspace and Calm.
Self-care
What are you doing for yourself—activities or experiences that bring a smile to your face and lift you up? We recognize that this can be challenging now—families are home with you (perhaps making it tricky to find that “me” time), options like treating yourself to a spa or salon experience might not be available and resources are more limited. Let’s not focus on what we can’t do, but what we can do, and seek that. Make self-care a priority, and put it on your calendar if necessary. Time to and for yourself should be non-negotiable.
As an event professional, you are naturally led to serve others—so let this be a time when you can be of service to yourself.
We encourage our fellow planners to continue to seek support if you need it and reach out in the Independent and Small Business Owners forum group. Stay well!
Our series “The Independent Perspective” returns next month with a new topic.
Photo by Anna Pelzer on Unsplash
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