Best
[best]
1. of the highest quality, excellence or standing.
2. most advantageous, suitable or desirable.
The start of a New Year is the perfect time to start asking yourself how you become the best version of you. Start with wellness! Wellness is defined as, "an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence," according to the National Wellness Institute. Wellness is finding its way into the financial and insurance industry's meetings and events through exercise regimens, healthful eating, mindfulness activities and more. In this Education Essentials, we'll provide you with strategies for being your best, suggestions for incorporating wellness into your next meeting, and how to maintain your own health and wellness along the way.
What FICP Members Were Reading in 2018
Speaking of being your best, we're celebrating our best, too! Check out 2018's most popular articles from TheBlog:
Wellness in Meetings and Events
According to the September 2018 Incentive Travel Industry Index Powered by SITE Index, IRF Outlook and FICP, incentive packages that include wellness activities and items, such as yoga and healthy meals, are on the rise. The survey found that as people work more, they place greater emphasis on staying healthy and fit. Today, people are not afraid to "pamper" themselves. Read more about this growing trend.
Since wellness has been established as a top priority for meetings professionals, it's essential to keep this an area of focus. Learn how Ann Luketic, CMP and her team at Progressive Insurance leveraged the NBA Finals to introduce a radical wellness activity in her blog post, GOAT Yoga – We Kid You Not!
Incorporate wellness at your meeting by scheduling a morning walk with the C-Suite for additional face time with the CEO, adding in stretches in between sessions and sending mobile app push notifications with tips for staying well throughout the event. For more ideas to inspire wellness at your next meeting, check out these Wellness Idea Exchange Notes.
The Results Are In
We asked FICP meetings professionals in a recent TheNetwork poll, "How important is it to you to plan a wellness activity for your meeting attendees?" Here's how they responded:
Cannabis at Meetings
As cannabis becomes legalized for recreational purposes across the country, many meetings professionals are turning to activities involving cannabis at their meetings to promote wellness and relaxation; however, there are a lot of factors to consider. You may ask yourself: What if I host an event or meeting in a state that has legalized cannabis? Should I consider incorporating it into our event? Are there legal repercussions?
First, be aware of state-by-state rules. For instance, if an attendee is from a state in which cannabis is legal but the event is held in a state with stricter laws, then the attendee must comply with in-state laws. Pay attention to liabilities and consider cannabis like you would alcohol. Meetings professionals shouldn't be liable for what an attendee does while under the influence; however, it could become a concern if overindulgence harms others. Read more about policies and state-by-state laws regarding marijuana, and read more about how cannabis is impacting events.
Wellness Starts With You
A meeting is only as good as the meetings professional who planned it. Taking care of your own health and wellness is crucial to delivering success at work. Know when it's time to put your needs above your event's. If your smartphone is adding stress to your daily life, try conserving battery by placing it in airplane mode during downtime and organize your apps based on categories. Read more about how you can make your smartphone work for you in this recent blog post from Audrey Thomas, CSP, where she shares additional insights from her 2018 FICP Annual Conference session, Outsmarting your Smartphone.
Are you falling short of your ambitious New Year's resolutions? Your brain may be sabotaging you! Wellness, health and behavior change expert Romy Nelson, MEd, DTR argues that New Year's resolutions do more harm than good. Your typical New Year’s resolution is not effective because it is unrealistic and overly complicated. Once the brain detects the number of behavior changes required to make the unrealistic goal a reality, it short circuits. The hack is simple: Set a realistic, measurable, achievable goal at which you cannot fail. Only this type of resolution has the potential to change your life. Read more about how you can set yourself up for success.
FICP Shorts: Mindfulness and Productivity
This FICP Short from Holly Duckworth shares how meetings professionals can benefit from practicing mindfulness.
In this FICP Short, Audrey Thomas shares what she does to stay consistently productive day-to-day.
Women in the Industry
In a recent survey published by Prevue Meetings & Incentives and the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, 708 women were asked how they maintain work-life balance in the meeting planning industry. Some responses included, "Your career supports your life, but it is not your life," "Take time for yourself and enjoy the travel when you have it. It’s too easy to travel and never see the outside of a hotel," and more. Read more advice from female meetings professionals.
Download the survey, or view the webinar recording that reviews the results.
Event Disruption Corner
Wellness activities at meetings can be all fun and games, but what happens if an attendee gets injured? Consider requiring liability waivers to minimize any repercussions from your activities. Check out this discussion thread from TheNetwork for a sample template, and keep the conversation going with any tips you have to share.
#TBT - Wellness Chalkboard
At the 2018 FICP Winter Symposium, a wellness chalkboard offered tips for meetings professionals. Attendees were also invited to share tips of their own.
Access Great Content Daily
Follow FICP on Facebook and Twitter to get important updates and timely articles. Here's what you may have missed this month: