Get fit.Try these something-for-everyone tips from your colleagues to boost mental energy, whip your body into shape, and forget about work for a while. This article is for every reader of ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT, but especially for Roe Long, the chief executive officer of an association management company in West Milton, Ohio West Milton is a village in Miami County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,645 at the 2000 census. Geography West Milton is located at (39.956453, -84.329489)GR1. . From the 518 responses to a fax-back fitness survey that ASAE's editors sent to approximately 6,000 executive-level members, several conclusions can be drawn: * Association executives really like to talk about fitness. * ASAE ASAE American Society of Association Executives ASAE American Society of Agricultural Engineers (Society for Engineering in Agricultural, Food, and Biological Systems) ASAE Alkali-Sulfite-Anthraquinone-Ethanol needs more fax machines. * Roe needs some serious help. Within the next several pages is a wide range of experiences and advice that can be of great value to anyone in need of a physical, mental, or emotional boost. While the amount and quality of the survey responses could fill a book, the space limitations of this magazine required the unscientific unscientific Unproven, see there but best-effort summary that follows. Most responses came from association executives who appeared to have struck a balance between work and play and had incorporated into their daily lives a healthy dose of stress-reducing, health-enhancing activities. A few workaholics, surprisingly enough, took the time to respond, although their level of nonwork activity was rather low and their only words of wisdom were "don't do as I do." Then there was Roe's response: * average number of hours worked per week: 60 * number of vacation days taken last year: 0 * number of hours per week devoted to physical fitness: 0 * number of hours per week devoted to mental/emotional fitness: 0 Roe, as soon as you finish reading this article, please make reservations at that "health spa in a warm place" that you told us you would like to visit if you could only take a vacation. Then take a walk, watch a movie - anything. As you will see here, the options for reinvigorating body, mind, and soul are endless; and the rewards, we were told, are enormous. Noticeable-results activities By engaging in one of the following activities over some years, said survey respondents, their health - mental, physical, or both - was significantly improved: * Chinese massage. * Cycling to work. * Stopped smoking. * Hiking the mountain behind my home (Carson City, Nevada The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the State of Nevada. A 2006 population estimate places its population at 57,701[1]. Carson City is now an independent city and is its own Metropolitan Statistical Area. ) every morning. * Climbing in the South American Andes, British Columbia British Columbia, province (2001 pop. 3,907,738), 366,255 sq mi (948,600 sq km), including 6,976 sq mi (18,068 sq km) of water surface, W Canada. Geography , and Pacific Northwest. * Tai chi Tai Chi Definition T'ai chi is a Chinese exercise system that uses slow, smooth body movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both body and mind. and removal of dairy from my diet. * Smiling at strangers. * Don't eat lunch until 2 o'clock. This cuts down significantly on afternoon snacking. * Went on vacation On Vacation was The Robot Ate Me's third album, released in 2004 by the band's frontman, Ryland Bouchard's label Swim Slowly Records, then reissued in 2005 by 5 Rue Christine. alone - wonderful way to clear the mind. * Nutritional supplementation. * Embarked on a regular exercise routine at age 40. Overcame hatred of running by using a treadmill plus TV. Energy level soared - sleep needed down 33 percent. Dropped 15 pounds without dieting. * Amended my diet to include 100 grams of protein health shake per day; low fat; no alcohol during the week; no carbohydrates after 6 p.m. * Walking about three miles a day. Also, ballroom dancing lessons. * I got a dog: a cairn terrier cairn terrier, breed of small working terrier developed on the Isle of Skye in the 19th cent. It stands about 10 in. (25 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 14 lb (6.4 kg). . He's a friend always - no political or social agenda. * Water aerobics - physical fitness increased, emotional stability arrived. * Regular workouts at the gym - lost weight, reduced stress, improved attitude. * Quit drinking coffee. This greatly improved the quality of my sleep at night and my concentration during the workday. * Racquetball racquetball, sport played indoors by two or four players, combining elements of court handball and such racket games as squash racquets. It is played on a standard handball court 40 ft (12.2 m) long, 20 ft (6. (I now need a shoulder operation - what the heck). * Began attending church again. * Fitness center two miles from office; go there five or six times each week. While traveling, I stay where there is a fitness center at the hotel. * Reducing my work to three-fourths time. * Getting a cat. I just sit with her and play. * Increasing my sleeping time from five hours to six to seven (eliminated memory loss and dizzy spells). Weight training has improved my stamina and endurance. * Positive mental attitude The philosophy of having a positive mental attitude is the belief that one can increase achievement through optimistic thought processes. Having a vision of good natured change in the mind. . I've just experienced prostate cancer prostate cancer, cancer originating in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer is the leading malignancy in men in the United States and is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in men. at age 50 and have learned that attitude is everything. * Laid off the booze. * Singing barbershop harmony. * I run regularly. I would be a madman if I didn't. Words of wisdom A sampling of wisdom from your health-conscious colleagues' mouths to this magazine: * Do what you love doing - both at work and in your personal life. - Marti Bueso, Executive Association of Greater Miami * Your most important task is to take care of yourself. Think of yourself as a personal, then corporate, asset and manage it accordingly. - William Partridge, CAE (1) (Computer-Aided Engineering) Software that analyzes designs which have been created in the computer or that have been created elsewhere and entered into the computer. , Calgary Building Owners and Managers Association This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. * Treat your body as von would your board of directors - with respect and dignity. - George B. Allen, Texas Allen is a city in Collin County and a northern suburb of Dallas, Texas (USA). As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 43,554. As of April 2007, the city's population is estimated at 77,465. Apartment Association * Exercise is great mental therapy. Bernard Bourdeau, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Insurance Asociation * Say "no" more often. - Gerard McGuire, CAE, Post Tensioning Institution * Take the stairs. - Edward R. Hardison, CAE, Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating * You have to treat exercise as you would any important job function - you schedule it and place a priority on it. You don't just try to fit it in if there's time left at the end of the day. - Jane Seago, National Speakers Association * Set a goal. In my case, I've hiked down and up the Grand Canyon Grand Canyon, great gorge of the Colorado River, one of the natural wonders of the world; c.1 mi (1.6 km) deep, from 4 to 18 mi (6.4–29 km) wide, and 217 mi (349 km) long, NW Ariz. twice. In order to be ready, I have to walk some all year and hike in the mountains several times during the three months prior to my trip. - Elsie Reamy, CAE, Professional Insurance Agents Association of Virginia and District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). * After losing two family members to cancer (ages 39 and 28), you realize life can be too short. Enjoy today, because you don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what tomorrow will bring. - Ed Whelan, OPASTCO OPASTCO Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies Plus, The Benefit Solution * I never look forward to exercise but always feel good when finished. Michael Peitz, Educational Theater Association * Read the death column every morning. If you're not in it, thank the Lord. - Lewis Miller, International Association of Fairs and Expositions * Surround yourself with a few great friends who know how to have fun. Nancy Quinn, CAE, Ohio DentaI Association * Take time for yourself and those you love; laugh; and enjoy each day. Marian Holt McLain, San Jose San Jose, city, United States San Jose (sănəzā`, săn hōzā`), city (1990 pop. 782,248), seat of Santa Clara co., W central Calif.; founded 1777, inc. 1850. Convention and Visitor Bureau A Convention and Visitor Bureau(CVB) is a Destination Marketing Organisation in the USA which represents a tourist destination. A tourist destination in the USA is every State, almost all bigger cities and a several counties. Financing There are two different types of financing. * Find an activity that is flexible and can fit in wherever you need it. - Jackie Fortune, Tallahassee Society of Association Executives * I'm a big believer in a little pampering. A weekly salon treatment - for example, a manicure - forces me to relax for one hour and let someone take care of me. - Susan Zuber, Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers * Three P's: people, plants, and pets. - Steven A. Etkin, CAE, Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industries * Don't take yourself too seriously. Smile - a lot. Be kind to yourself. - Carol M. Everett, New England New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. Peer Review * When the mind is tired, exercise the body. When the body is tired, exercise the mind. - Steve Munnell, CAE, Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. Contractors Association * Live well, laugh long, love much. - Doug Upchurch, Information Technology Training Association * Enjoy your work, keep challenged, and maintain a feeling of responsibility and ownership. - David L. Belden, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (body) American Society of Mechanical Engineers - (ASME) A group involved in CAD standardisation. * Do not be a workaholic work·a·hol·ic n. One who has a compulsive and unrelenting need to work. . Delegate responsibility and authority. - Jim Marquart, CAE, Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths of America * Take your vacations. You are not indispensable. - Pat Hall, CAE, Carl Albert Foundation * Abandon the set schedule. Work when you want, and play when you want. - Bob Stanton, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is an organization devoted to the advancement of cosmetic surgery. It has approximately 2,400 members. U.S. members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. * Eat only fresh, healthy foods. - Brenda Talbert, Home Builders Association of Manatee County * Leave work at work. - Ken DeGilio, Kentucky Recreation and Park Society * Don't fool with mother nature. It takes all three - body, mind, and spirit - to be successful. - Gary Walter, Financial Services Organization * Do something you truly enjoy, and stick with it. - Don DeBolt, CAE, International Franchise Association * Leave your work-related problems at the office and your personal problems at home. - Charles W. Lennon, CAE, Davic/Cooper City Chamber of Commerce * Working more hours does not lead to better productivity. - Betty Kjellberg, CAE, Arizona Psychological Association * Set a realistic regular routine, and fight like bell to preserve it. - Red Cavaney, CAE, American Petroleum Institute The American Petroleum Institute, commonly referred to as API, is the main U.S. trade association for the oil and natural gas industry, representing about 400 corporations involved in production, refinement, distribution, and many other aspects of the industry. * Balance, balance, balance - something I keep trying to achieve. - Janet Walker, Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association * Exercise is overrated Overrated was a Horde World of Warcraft guild, based on the US Black Dragonflight Realm. On November 2 2006, the majority of the guild members were indefinitely banned from the game for use of (or directly benefiting from) a third-party "wall-hack", used to bypass content . I belong to Athletics Anonymous - when I feel like exercising, I call a friend and we relax together until the urge passes. A way to stay young is service to others, especially to senior citizens. - Joe Marchano, Dallas Building Owners and Managers Association * Establish a joy list in your diary or appointment book. Every few months or so, record the things that have occurred in your personal or professional life that have given you some joy. Look at your joy list once a week to remind yourself that your life isn't always filled with solving severe problems or tough issues. - Richard Lewis, CAE, American Pulpwood pulp·wood n. Soft wood, such as spruce, aspen, or pine, used in making paper. pulpwood Noun pine, spruce, or any other soft wood used to make paper Noun 1. Association Incorporated * Get some sleep. - Al J. Unser, CAE, Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors * Light exercise is better than no exercise. - Susan Gorin, CAE, National Association of School Psychologists The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is the first and largest national professional organization created for the purpose of serving school psychologists. * Pick a hobby or activity that has absolutely no relationship to your job. - Henry Chamberlain, CAE, Building Owners and Managers Association International * Each day, choose to be happy. Relax your mind frequently. Associate with positive people. Choose supportive friends. - Julie Kendrick, Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology * Association executives are so busy serving others, they don't know how to treat themselves or relax. It helps if you can raise your level of indifference on some issues. - Mark Thomas, Oklahoma Press Association * What's the difference between work and play? There shouldn't be any. Thomas Dammrich, Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits * Although it may be difficult to start any healthy behavior (exercising, dieting, quitting smoking, etc.), take baby steps toward an end goal. It will soon become a healthy habit healthy habit Good habit, see there and a healthy lifestyle. - Pam Gouse, Bitterroot Valley Board of Realtors * Don't try to balance work and personal time - it can't be done. Instead, integrate the two into a single life. If your son has a ball game in the afternoon, take the afternoon off to see it. If you have an important project, get it done. - Nelson Fabian, National Environmental Health Association * Drink four to eight glasses of water per day. - Diana Hinchcliff, New York State Chemical Alliance * Sustain your emotional relationships. Do your exercise. Become passionate about your work. Know and abide by your ethics. Thomas Redmon, CAE, Southern Association of Independent Schools The Southern Association of Independent Schools is a U.S.-based voluntary organization of more than 290 independent elementary and secondary schools through the South, representing more than 155,000 students. * Try to learn from youngsters as well as from the "experts". - Sherry Keramidas, CAE, Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society * Contribute to society through volunteering. The rewards are immeasurable. - Steve Jacober, School and Home Office Products Association Morning Musician Cathy Vaughn, Executive Officer, Home Builders Association of Columbus, Georgia; age 40 * Average number of hours worked per week: 35-50 * Vacation days taken within past 12 months: 10 * Hours per week devoted to physical fitness: 4 hours, working out with weights and a treadmill * Hours per week devoted to mental or emotional fitness: 5 hours, reading magazines and playing the piano * What she plays: classical music, pop, and Broadway show tunes * When she plays: Every morning before work. "It's the only way I can do it regularly. My husband takes the kids to school, and I have an hour to do what I want to do. Playing in the morning gets me ready for the day." * Can her sleeping neighbors hear her? "I live on a large lot - no one can hear." * Does she sing along? "No. You don't want to hear me sing." Reinvigorated Rancher Bill Pickell, Manager, Washington Contract Loggers Association, Olympia; age 57 * Average number of hours worked per week: 55-60 * Vacation days taken with past 12 months: 12 * Hours per week devoted to mental or emotional fitness: 6 - 8 hours, volunteering, participating in church activities, and attending auctions - "great stress reducers" * What causes him stress? "Responding to multiple phone calls from members with problems; being a counselor on a myriad of subjects." * Hours per week devoted to physical fitness: 6 - 8 hours, chasing cows, cutting firewood, and bucking hay bales. "I own a 700-acre ranch and tree farm. Whenever I go out with my saw and prune trees for an hour, it feels like I've been lifting weights. Physical, sweat-producing, hard work feels great nd is a real stress reducer." * And what else? "Having a great wife also helps - she's my partner." * Who he turns to when his great wife is not around: his animals - 20 head of Hereford beef cattle, some horses, and lots of cats Some dream vacations mentioned by respondents: * Sailing the Greek Isles, Tahiti, or the British Virgin Isles. * Moose hunting. * Reading, bike riding, and wine tasting in northern California. * Two weeks on horseback - anywhere. * A 10-day jeep excursion. * Fishing for peacock bass in South America. * Woodland isolation. * A week at home with maid, butler, yardman/woman, chef. * Riding my Harley-Davidson to the coast. * An African safari. * Two weeks on a deserted island with a room at the Ritz Carlton. * Disney. * New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . Heart-Healthy Habits Earl Wells, Executive Vice President, Florida Nurseymen and Growers, Orlando; age 64; and his wife, Sarah; age 67 * Average number of hours worked per week: 45-50 * Vacation days taken within past 12 months: 15 * Hours pre week devoted to mental or emotional fitness: 5 hours, reading * Hours per week devoted to physical fitness: 3 hours, working in the yard (now and then) and walking (practically every day, since early 1993) * What got him walking? A heart attack, suffered on Christmas Eve of 1992. "I changed my diet completely after that and changed my way of life." His diet had been heavy in meat and dairy products, and his life had been stress-packed and exercise-empty. To recuperate re·cu·per·ate v. To return to health or strength; recover. from open-heart surgery, he began eating right, adjusting work priorities to reduce stress, and walking his way back to health. * How far does he walk? "Just a mile, but if you do it on a regular basis and with a brisk gait, that's plenty. My wife walks with me almost every day." * Doesn't that turn the walk into a lovers' stroll? "We pick 'em up and lay 'em down." * Huh? "That's an old Southern expression. In other words Adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated; "in other words, we are broke" put differently , we fast-walk - we don't stroll." Whopping It Up After Work Noel Zak, CAE, Executive Director, Illinois Association for Medical Equipment Services, Oak Brook; age 49 * Average number of hours worked per week: 50 * Vacation days taken within past 12 months: 15 * Hours per week devoted to mental or emotional fitness: 6 hours, reading, environmental volunteering, and birdwatching birdwatching bird n → ornithologie f (d'amateur) * Strangest bird she's ever seen: a hoatzin hoatzin (wätsēn`) [Aztec], common name for a peculiar marsh bird, Opisthocomus hoatzin. The hoatzin is a slender bird with a brownish plumage spotted with white above and reddish-yellow to rust below. It may reach up to 25 in. , while exploring the Amazon rain forest of Ecuador last year * Hours per week devoted to physical fitness: 4 hours, "Jazzercising" * What's the appeal? "It keeps my spirits up and my weight down. Particularly at the end of a long, tough day, I know that after an hour-long Jazzercise class, I'll feel better. It's a release: We do a fair amount of whooping whoop n. 1. a. A loud cry of exultation or excitement. b. A shout uttered by a hunter or warrior. 2. A hooting cry, as of a bird. 3. The paroxysmal gasp characteristic of whooping cough. and hollering." * Words of wisdom for her fitness-seeking peers: "Instead of creating a list of priorities with your well-being somewhere down on the list, put yourself at the center of a web of productivity, energy, creativity, and self-development." * When did she grow so wise? "Five years ago, I consciously set out to create a life balanced with work, play, intellectual stimulation, and physical health. Now I feel great, my professional performance has never been better, and I feel that I will have no regrets later in life about how I spent these years." Some physical fitness activities mentioned by respondents: * shoveling snow * running/jogging * yard work * golf * dancing * skiing * volleyball * isometric exercises Isometric exercises Exercises which strengthen through muscle resistance. Mentioned in: Chondromalacia Patellae on airplanes * hockey * martial arts * ultimate Frisbee * soccer * paddleball pad·dle·ball n. 1. A game for two to four participants played with a perforated paddle and a ball similar to a tennis ball on a court having one, three, or four walls. 2. The ball used in this game. * tennis * hunting * football * biking * stretching * making love Some mental or emotional fitness activities mentioned by respondents. * yoga * festivals * parties * eating out * target shooting * quilting quilting, form of needlework, almost always created by women, most of them anonymous, in which two layers of fabric on either side of an interlining (batting) are sewn together, usually with a pattern of back or running (quilting) stitches that hold the layers * playing the slots * searching the Internet * church/prayer * cruising in my car * astronomy * restoring antiques * nightclubs * photography * television * woodcarving * meditation * crossword puzzles * making love |
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