Fighting the cookie temptation…

While reading The Denver Post on Saturday, I came across an article titled “Save me… ideas for doing more with less.” (In case you missed it, it was featured in the "In & Out" section; click here to read the story). At first glance I was thrilled to see our client, The Children’s Hospital, included in the article, yet as I read the hospital’s tips to “keep the vacation lazies at bay,” I realized I needed to take note of one particular tip...

I must admit that I love holiday cookies. My family and I bake cookies - sugar cookies, fudge, thumb prints, toffee and spritz - the day after Thanksgiving. During the holidays, I leave a plate of cookies on the counter for our family and friends to nibble on. As I read this article and was gently reminded about the severity of child obesity (the rate of severe obesity among U.S. children and teenagers more than tripled over the past three decades, according to a study in the journal Academic Pediatrics), I decided it was time to put the plate of cookies away.

As you enjoy the last few days of 2009, take the advice of the experts at The Children’s Hospital. Challenge yourself to be active – go skiing or snowshoeing; enjoy a walk or run; or build a snowman.

On another Denver Post-related note, I finally met “In & Out” editor Elana Ashanti Jefferson. While we have worked together to tell our clients’ stories over the years, we have never met face-to-face. It was a delight to finally sit down over a cup of coffee and hear more about her editorial interests. She works from a three- to four- week editorial deadline, so keep that in mind when pitching her!

~ Jennifer

New Year's Resolutions - like it or not, it's that time of year!

Since this may be GroundFloor Media’s final blog post of 2009 (we’re all attempting to take next week off for some R&R), it seems like the perfect time to discuss that dreaded topic. You know the one… New Year’s resolutions. It’s hard to escape the chatter about those pesky resolutions. I’m sure many of the folks in our profession are “type A” personalities, perfectionists, even borderline obsessive, if you will. So setting goals seems natural to us. Why would we possibly need resolutions?

If you do decide to succumb to peer pressure and declare your New Year’s resolutions in 2010, I have come across some helpful tips that I thought you might appreciate. My favorite, and one that I’ve been practicing with mild success this week, is to never have more than seven items on your daily to do list. I’m ballparking it here – but I would venture to guess that my ongoing to do list typically has 25 items on it. And I’ve found that none of them get done because there are so many to tackle. By pulling five to seven of them off of that ongoing list to a daily “must do” list, I’ve actually been checking things off the list.

Aside from my endless to do list, the other bane of my existence is that “unread mail” indicator in my email inbox. I found a great blog about “inbox zero” last year, and I made it a goal of mine – only to find that my inbox will never be at zero unread emails. I learned to live with “inbox 100” and then “inbox 200” – and then I started getting hives, so I pulled out the “inbox zero” tips and re-read them. Here are a few that you may find helpful. I did.
-Use “rules” and create filters to automatically move certain types of emails into folders. Emails this works well for include your Google Alerts, “friend” requests and news/offers/coupons from retailers that you want to hear from (but maybe not right now).
-Schedule time for emails and respond during those scheduled times rather than living in your email inbox all day long. You’ve got other things to do!
-Use your delete key. Determine if you’re really ever going to respond to that email, and if not, just delete it. Especially if it’s more than a few weeks old. Answer it now or delete it. You can do it!

I hope you found at least one of these tips useful, if not for setting your New Year’s resolutions, then hopefully for getting some sanity back into your life on a regular basis. I wish you health and happiness (and inbox zero) in the New Year.

~Ramonna

Get a jump start to the New Year with goal setting

If you’re like me, you are probably wondering how it is already the middle of December. And you might be asking yourself, did I accomplish everything I set out to do this year? After becoming a new parent in 2008 and all the hectic things that come along with parenthood, my family decided to tackle 2009 by setting goals, much like we do for our clients at GroundFloor Media in order to stay on track.

As John Lennon once said, “"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” We certainly found this to be true, but by staying on top of our goals and being flexible throughout the year, we managed to achieve some of our goals and readjust when necessary.

At GroundFloor Media, setting measurable goals at the onset of any communications campaign is vitally important. For us, these measurable communications objectives (qualitative and quantitative) must be tied to measurable business objectives; this allows us to ensure the tactics and strategies implemented continually map back to the overarching goals. There are times we have to refine our clients’ objectives in the middle of the project or campaign – maybe a client’s competitor launched a similar product, a new social media network emerged or the organization’s business goals were revised – to ensure we consistently deliver ROI.

While it may be easier to review and evaluate your organization’s business and communications objectives, I would strongly encourage you to run through a similar exercise in your personal life. People say goal setting encourages responsibility, achievement, decision making, personal growth and prioritization. Based on this, I think it would be an effective way for you to jump start the New Year.

~ Jennifer Wills

Staying Sane During the Holidays

If you’re anything like me, juggling work and life on a normal day can be a challenge, but throw in the special ingredient of the holidays and you’re suddenly juggling a handful of howler monkeys! In a meeting with some fellow board members from Colorado Youth at Risk (CYAR) the other day, I said to my colleagues (one an investment banker, another a marketing professional, and the other the executive director of CYAR), “I think maybe it’s just PR people who have such crazy lives…” They all laughed at me and said, “Welcome to the real world – it’s all of us!”

The American Psychological Association (APA) says that 75 percent of American adults report moderate to high levels of stress. As well, in its most recent Stress in America Survey the APA discovered that financial concerns are the leading source of stress for 71 percent of Americans this holiday season. A national study by SleepBetter.org found that 11 percent of households without children say holiday stressors cause them to lose sleep, while 27 percent of parents indicate that this is the case.

Judging by the fact that I made holiday cookies all day Sunday, but wrote this blog post late at night – I suppose I’m part of the 11 percent for whom the holidays bring great joy and a bit of stress all at the same time… So what to do about it – PR professional or not? I found some great tips – as well as some insight regarding what the heck causes all this holiday stress – from About.com:

• Set your priorities: for example, pick a few favorite activities and really enjoy them – skip the rest.
• Cut corners: for example, send cards only to those you regularly communicate with, and don’t feel the need for a personal note/letter in each one.
• Change your expectations for togetherness: be aware of your limitations and set limits.
• Set a schedule: put your plans on paper (or, if you're like me, on your BlackBerry).
• Breathe: take some time for deep breaths, maybe meditation or yoga… breathe in the serenity!

So, as the holidays bear down upon us, I will be following the advice above and trying to simplify. While work and, certainly, my clients take a high priority in my daily life, I’ll also remember to take time to breathe, set priorities and know my limits, and not feel bad about not being able to make every holiday party or sign a personal note on every holiday card. I wish you the same serenity and a very happy holiday season!
- Carissa

Supporting Your Local Businesses

As we head into the holiday season, I thought it might be appropriate to talk about food, retail and supporting local businesses. We know that over the next six weeks the treats will amass at the office -- from chocolate to cakes to gift baskets full of cheese and crackers and more. None of this is bad – in moderation – mind you, it is just that time of year. Where these treats and miscellaneous gifts are coming from is another matter. I learned about a new campaign to support local businesses that just so happens to kick off this week -- Buy Local Week runs from Nov. 30 – Dec. 6 (www.coloradolocalfirst.com).

Last year Coloradans spent $12.7 billion during the holidays, which represents a huge portion of cash for retailers. Money spent at locally owned businesses recirculates at least three times more in our community, which means where you spend your money does matter. Check out Colorado Local First online directory, a project of the nonprofit business group The Mile High Business Alliance (http://www.milehighbiz.org). Use this directory to find locally-owned businesses near you and leave reviews for your favorite local businesses. The directory lists more than 400,000 Colorado-based businesses, but they’re still improving the data. You can help by submitting a new listing for a business you love. Or, if you own a Colorado business, find out how to get your business listed for free. And check out the neighborhood guides, Local Flavor Guides™, that are full color, easy-to-carry brochures that feature one-of-a-kind Denver businesses in neighborhoods like East Colfax, Uptown, Old South Gaylord, Old South Pearl, Santa Fe Arts District, SoBo, and Lower Highlands.

I also have to tout Downtown Boulder. Since I sit on the Downtown Boulder, Inc. board it would be a crime to not mention that 85 percent of more than 300 retail and service businesses are locally owned and operated. (http://www.boulderdowntown.com/) My favorite new find is the Savory Spice Shop with fresh seasonings, herbs and spice blends. Check out the Downtown Boulder gift guide filled with ideas that won’t break your bank.

When you are out and about and looking for a good meal be sure to check out these Colorado-based restaurants: Qdoba Mexican Grill, Marcos Pizza and Snooze.

This holiday season, I encourage you to shop and dine out locally. A shift of just 10 percent of your purchases toward local retailers translates into more people are getting a paycheck, paying their rent, and getting what they need from other local businesses.