Three Healthy Habits for Successful Creatives
We’ve all heard of healthy habits – wake up early, read books, drink plenty of water, eat your vegetables… but what can you do that sets you up for success in the work place? We’re here to share three things we do to help us succeed.
Fueling Our Bodies – Katie’s Pick
When people ask me how I am doing, I typically respond with “Great! I’m busy!” And that is the truth! My life is incredibly busy, but that is how I am wired. Running a business is not for the faint of heart – it requires so much, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Once Monday comes around, I hit the ground running. So it is important to me to plan ahead for the week, and that includes food! I am a big fan of meal prepping on Sunday. I can usually knock out three to four meals in the afternoon, and my husband and I are set for the week. Sheet pan meals are incredibly easy, don’t take that long to prep and are delicious warmed up. I chop up all different veggies (sweet potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, squash, peppers, onion) and pair it with a meat (usually chicken or sausage). Because I meal prep, I can count on a relatively healthy meal for lunch that doesn’t leave me craving a nap come 2pm!
Outside of eating heathy, I try to drink as much water as possible. A fun fact about me is that I actually really dislike water. As a kid, it took everything in my parents’ power to get me to drink water. Unfortunately, I still don’t get excited about a glass of tap water. To combat this as an adult, I have fallen in love with carbonated water with lime. Thankfully, we keep our office well stocked with all different La Croix flavors, and on top of that, I have a Soda Stream which gives me no excuses for drinking water!
Managing Our Time – Victoria’s Pick
Using a cloud-based calendar has changed the way my life looks. I used to rely heavily on a day planner. Just a few days ago, Timehop showed me a post from 5 years ago that I was panicked because I lost my planner and genuinely did not know what to do with myself. I remember, that experience – two entire days of confusion, anxiety, and stress – prompted me to make a change. I now rely on a cloud-based calendar.
This calendar is synched to my phone, my computer, my tablet… and on particularly busy weeks I print off a copy too. It keeps me accountable to the tasks at hand, the things I need to do every day, and my personal life too. It’s easy to lose sight of your priorities when they’re not written down to help you stay organized. By using a cloud based calendar, I can always check to see where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing, no matter where I’m at. As long as I have internet access – whether it’s on one of my own devices, or even a friend’s or public device, I can log in and see what is on my to-do list. Being a creative person, I sometimes struggle with organization, but this simple change has made such a life-altering difference. Whether you use Microsoft or Google or Apple or any other cloud-based calendar, it can impact your time management in an amazing way.
“Breaking” Our Brains – Abby’s Pick
It is no secret that the Elevate Marketing Co. team has a unique office environment. Our minds are moving at 50 mph as we tackle emails, social media management, webpage design...the list goes on! While working with such a diverse client-base, we often find ourselves diving into projects in several different industries, every day! One of the best ways to guarantee that I am able to dedicate my full attention to client-work and stay at the top of my game is by taking breaks throughout the day.
I know this may sound counter-productive, however, taking breaks actually allows me to clear my mind and stay productive. In fact, studies show that the optimal break schedule for a time-pressed person is a 6-minute break every 80 minutes. The Elevate Marketing Co. team likes to take, "brain-breaks" every few hours to recharge. Some of our breaks include walking on the river trail near our office, doing planks in the office or listening to a podcast in the break room. Even getting up to grab a cup of coffee or chatting with a co-worker on the other side of the office can be beneficial. "Brain-breaks," keep us efficient and energized in the office and allow us to provide the very best service to our clients!
What healthy habits do you have that help you succeed? Are you someone who wakes up early every day to workout? What about someone who eats only organic? Or someone who reads a new book every single week? What keeps you on your toes, keeps your brain sharp, promotes personal growth, and pushes you to succeed?