Planning for a Healthier You!

As hospitality professionals, we are always focused on taking care of others. We may forget that we need to also take care of ourselves at the end of the day. Taking care of our minds and bodies is important to ensure that we are staying healthy, and let’s be honest, staying sane. 

Planners (and fellow perfectionists) can relate to the feeling of being stressed out and overwhelmed by work. And right now, many in our industry are struggling with finding work which causes another type of stress.  

That’s why it is so important to allow yourself time each day to clear your mind from your to-do list and the other stresses being thrown at you. Take time out your day to take care of you. 

Find time to get in some type of movement every day. Moving our bodies daily helps, not only relieves tension, but you will find you have more energy to take on the day. You don’t need to spend hours in a gym – or even need a gym. Grab a pair of sneakers and go for a short run or hit play on a yoga video from YouTube. When we are back traveling again, either for work or fun, these are all things that you can do from anywhere! Why not start the habit now? 

Working out is only part of taking care of yourself. How you nourish your body is also super important. Proper nutrition can have a big effect on how you feel. A lot of processed foods – think things that come in a box or bag like cookies, pretzels, and cereals – often are full of refined sugars, and can negatively effect our moods and how we feel. Therefore, make sure you are eating real food such as fresh fruit and veggies, healthy fats, and whole grains.  

We are all great planners so why not use those skills for planning out your meals and snacks? Planning out the week ensures that when you get busy you have healthy options in the fridge for when you only have a few minutes to make lunch.  

Or if you know you have a full day of virtual meetings, planning ahead to make sure you have easy-to-grab snacks at your desk. My favorite are RXBars because they are made with ingredients like egg whites, dates, and nuts so they satisfy my sweet tooth while also being full of protein and healthy fats that will keep me full. 

I think it is safe to say 2020 was a terrible year. It is now 2021 so start the year off great by taking control over when you can – your Health and Wellness!  

After all, if you aren’t taking care of yourself, how are you going to take care of others?