work-life balance Archives - SearchWide Global

Corporate Mindfulness: Taking Wellness a Step Further

4.16.2019 by jsl_web_admin

Written by: Elizabeth McHeffey

Corporate health and wellness perks such as gym memberships, salad bars, and standing desks have been popular for some time now. But many corporations are taking these material wellness perks a step further by prioritizing the importance of mindfulness, self-care, and mental wellness practices. Mindfulness by definition is “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.” Mindfulness can be utilized in many different ways, but it encompasses being present, aware, setting intentions, and maximizing your brain and energy function.

Gary Sherwin, CEO of Newport Beach & Company fully embraces the idea of both physical and mental wellness and works to instill that in their company’s core values and culture. One way that they practice this is by giving an annual allowance towards wellness – anything from gym memberships to tennis classes, to buying a jogging stroller for parents. But Gary looked deeper into wellness and mental self-care this year by bringing in a Mindfulness Expert to their company retreat, who spent the day with the entire team, walking them through mindful practices such as guided meditation and intention-setting.

“The idea was to just teach people what it could mean to get quiet, close your eyes and in this case, he was doing guided meditation. Meditation has taught me to say ‘Okay, don’t think squirrel, think of the here and now.’ It does help me in getting through the day and focus on what is in front of you.” -Gary Sherwin

For Brianna Grimaldi, a millennial, new mom, and Digital Marketing Manager at Newport Beach, the day with the Mindfulness Expert was a strong reminder on a goal that she had already set.

“It was one of my New Year’s resolutions to try be more aware and present in my personal and work life. You get in a whirlwind of work and life and it is great to remember to take a step back and be able to reset and focus on where your mind is right now.” -Brianna Grimaldi

Another Millennial on the team and the Director of Tourism Marketing & Insights, Colleen Costello, was unknowingly already practicing mindfulness in her personal life. Through the seminar, she learned to be more aware of the mindfulness that she practices and set her goals intentionally.

“For me, it was identifying a lot of ways I am doing it in my life now and realizing that is my personal mindfulness. I am a big hiker and swimmer and I deliberately don’t keep my phone with me. Realizing that was my personal mindfulness already, and making sure that I am taking the time for myself to do that, take it to that next step, and be totally cut off and focused on what is happening there.” -Colleen Costello

So why has mindfulness gained popularity in both our professional and personal worlds? Here are a few potential reasons:

Accessibility. Apple recently announced its “Best of 2018” and listed self-care as the trend of the year. Apps such as Calm and Headspace are easily accessible and a growing trend, with Headspace being the “gym membership for the mind” and claiming to have 15 million users.

Digital Age & the need to disconnect. This article, sums it up “The bright side of technology is often eclipsed by its dark side: it is hard to switch off, and there is too much information to process as well as too many distractions now. So, yes, we are living in the age of technology-induced stress…”

Productivity: This research study concluded that the average worker is only productive for two hours and 53 minutes per day. There is a clear need for employees to set intentions and refocus.

High Stress: According to this article, almost two-thirds of professionals say their stress levels at work are higher than they were five years ago. Moreover, high stress has been directly linked to disease.

Innovation and creativity. “Studies show meditation improves your creative and critical thinking, reduces stress, and smooths out interpersonal relationships,” says Michael Miller, director of New York Meditation Center.

The bottom line: Be mindful about both your physical and mental wellness. Get outside, take a deep breath, refocus & tackle your day!

Elizabeth McHeffey is our digital nomad. During her travels she’ll be diving into topics and trends surrounding the generations in the workforce, stopping along the way to meet with industry leaders that are making waves and reinventing how we work. What we’re calling, “The Remote Route.”

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SearchWide Global is a full-service executive search firm primarily for companies in Destination Organizations / Hotels & Resorts / Venue Management / Experiential Marketing, Tradeshow & Exhibition / Industry Associations / Sports & Entertainment. Specializing in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Founded in 1999, SearchWide Global headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and operates worldwide.

Why SearchWide Global Has One Millennial Team Member Embarking On A Digital Nomad Lifestyle

2.25.2019 by jsl_web_admin

A team member of SearchWide Global recently made the decision to embark on a travel sabbatical, traveling throughout the U.S. for eight months in hopes that she could remain with the company throughout her journey.

Mike Gamble, President and CEO, SearchWide Global shared, “When Elizabeth approached me about this idea, I immediately thought she was calling to resign. One minute into the conversation, she actually said, ‘I am not quitting.’ Relieved, I thought, ‘well what is it then?’

This idea was an easy “yes” for me. How could we not support one of our young leaders who has a passion for travel and giving back? We also knew that it was 100% better to explore an alternative work structure for 8 or 9 months than lose a high-value team member forever. Lastly, what a great opportunity to practice what we preach. The workforce is ever-changing and the only way to grow as an organization is to evolve with it. The needs and wants of the younger generations in the workforce should intrigue us all and we felt like we owed it to ourselves and our clients to better understand what drives them.”

The decision has been a very exciting one, sparking questions and discussions within our internal team on the remote or newly-coined “digital nomad” lifestyle.

“My passion for travel led me to a career in the tourism industry and ultimately led me to the decision to travel the country. It was always something I knew I wanted to experience and personally, the timing was right. Professionally, I had no idea how this would be received and if it was a possibility. And believe me, I feel very fortunate that Mike and the SearchWide Global team were so receptive to supporting me on this decision and journey,” said Elizabeth McHeffey, Recruiting and Research Manager, SearchWide Global.

This Article and Video posted on LinkedIn about 2 months ago is a great, quick watch if you missed it. Yoav Gery is the President of Selina, a network of locations across the globe that offers accommodations, libraries and co-working spaces with reliable internet and quiet areas. They even arrange experiences in surrounding areas, and probably most importantly offer a community that brings like-minded “digital nomads” together. Think WeWork meets a Hotel. Although the remote, traveling lifestyle is typically viewed as a Millennial mindset and desire, Yoav talks about how it resonates across different generations in the workforce. Digital nomads can vary from individuals that dedicate their lives to traveling, as well as others that have traditional jobs that want to “keep life in play”, continue on their career trajectory and growth while getting to explore the U.S. or the world.

In a Forbes Article titled ‘Digital Nomadism Goes Mainstream’, they share the statistic that “4.8 million Americans described themselves as digital nomads. Among traditional U.S. workers, 27% said they “might” become digital nomads in the next 2-3 years, and 11% said they planned to.”

“It’s important to recognize that the way we work is changing, and that remote, dispersed work, including digital nomadism, will only continue to grow in the future.”

“The trend shows no signs of slowing down, with more people valuing their lifestyle and companies offering increased flexibility to attract and retain workers. “Aging Baby Boomers will continue to ‘unretire’ and work past the traditional retirement age,” the report notes. “Millennials will continue to flock to this lifestyle, inspired by the opportunity to pursue their travel interests while working. And older Gen Exers are reaching the stage where traveling while working is becoming more viable.”

With our highly connected and “always on” society due to access to WiFi and cloud-based programs almost anywhere, employees working outside of the traditional office setting will continue to grow. Work-life immersion, or combining professional and personal passions, all go hand-in-hand with the digital nomad movement. It will be important for employers across all industries to embrace this in the hiring and retaining of employees across the generations of our workforce. It also poses an intriguing question within the travel and tourism space – could this digital nomad lifestyle begin to blur the lines of business versus leisure travel in the future?

During this eight-month journey, we’ll be diving into these topics and trends, along with topics surrounding the generations in the workforce, stopping along the way to meet with industry leaders that are making waves and reinventing how we work. What we’re calling, “The Remote Route.”

If you and/or your organization would like to tell us what you’re doing as it relates to these topics, or to learn more, contact us at info@searchwideglobal.com.

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How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season

12.6.2018 by jsl_web_admin

Written by: Kara Ryan

Winter is coming! With the colder weather comes those festive holiday snacks that contribute to us packing on a few pounds. Those sneaky calories leave us feeling sluggish going into the new-year. This is the time of year where baked goods and sweets are abundant at the office, at home, and while traveling.

Is there a way to stay healthy during the holidays and avoid the bulge? Instead of making a New Year’s resolution (yet again) to exercise more, eat healthier, and lose weight.

Here are some tried and true tips to stay healthy during the holiday season.

Lemon Water in the Morning

As soon as you wake, pour yourself an 8-16 oz. glass of water and squeeze half a lemon in it. If you’re traveling and don’t have easy access to lemon, that’s okay, a large glass of water in the morning brings benefits. Drink your morning water hot, room temperature, or cold; whatever you prefer.

The morning glass of water rehydrates you from the night before, kick starts your digestive system for the day, and the lemon offers vitamins and minerals that have been proven to help lose weight and decrease appetite. Lemons are packed full of vitamin C, beneficial for your immune system during cold and flu season. Make sure you drink all of your water before your morning cup of joe or breakfast.

Read more benefits of drinking lemon water here.

Snack Throughout the Day

Snacking helps you to not over-indulge on unhealthy foods, which we tend to do when we are hungry. Keep fresh fruit on hand, perhaps apples and bananas. They go great with a small portion of peanut butter and take little preparation. Trail mix is another great snack option, but watch out, it can pack those sneaky calories (definitely read the label). You can easily make your own trail mix from raw or roasted nuts and some dried fruit that doesn’t contain added sugars. Carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and celery are easy and a pair partner with hummus. Energy bites take a bit of preparation, but store nicely in the freezer. Here are eight variations to make.

Track Your Sweets

What would the holidays be if you couldn’t have seasonal baked goods or fancy flavored lattes? If you have that willpower, go you! If not, allow yourself a limited number of sweets treats or cheats a week. Keep track of them so you don’t go over your weekly limit and watch overindulging.

Keep on Moving

If you currently have an exercise program, stick to it and if you don’t yet have a plan, get one going! Some people prefer going to the gym when it starts getting too cold outside. There are plenty of fitness studios or classes offered at most gyms. Give one a try! Most studios offer your first class free. Spin class is fantastic cardio, yoga is great for strengthening and flexibility, barre is a low impact exercise that helps tone the whole body. All exercise is proven to reduce stress and increase energy! While traveling, there are a variety of apps that offer “no equipment needed” exercises and some hotels are offering unique fitness offerings and clothing rentals. Make sure to ask and give it a try.

Make it a Group Effort

It’s lonely being healthy and feeling great all by yourself. Enlist some of your coworkers, friend, and family to join you this holiday season in staying healthy. It’s great to share a healthy meal or go get a salad with a coworker during the week to stay on track. Friends make awesome workout buddies and will love checking out that spin class with you. Your family will love trying some healthier recipes together over the holiday season.

Take Time Off

We know being healthy isn’t all about eating right and exercising. Taking time out for you is beneficial for your health as well. Project Time Off says that people who take time off work are more productive, positive, have improved mental and physical health, and overall are happier. So use your time off, spend it with your loved ones and dedicate time doing what you love.

Unplug

This is one of the hardest things to do in the always-connected world we live in today. Maybe a nature hike, a good book, or a scenic drive does the trick for you to fully unplug. It doesn’t have to be a huge effort, simply being mindful to enjoy your cup of coffee with two hands without scrolling through your phone will do wonders for you. The Calm app can help you create a habit of being more mindful with daily meditations, calming music, and sleep stories.

Unplug, recharge, and go into 2019 a happier, healthier, you.

Tips on Eating Healthy While Traveling

10.25.2017 by jsl_web_admin

We’ve all done it. Our intentions were good when we planned on eating right and exercising while preparing for an upcoming meeting, convention or business trip. However, once the receptions, buffets and dinners show up, all of your plans are tossed out of the window!

Below are a few tips on eating healthy while traveling.

Start your day off right: Eat a healthy breakfast. Eating healthy will give you the energy needed to kick start your day. While at the buffet, look for oatmeal, fruit and protein (eggs and lean meat). Most coffee shops also offer oatmeal. Skip the baked goods such as muffins and pastries!

Pack your snacks: Try this mixture to stave away cravings during the day. This snack packs easily in your bag and is high in protein:

1 Tablespoon each (6.5 grams protein):

Almonds
Pistachio nuts
Sunflower seeds,
Walnuts
Raisins
Chocolate chips

Other travel friendly non-perishable foods include: Almond butter packs, snack sized hummus & pretzels and snack sized tuna & cracker kits,.

Protein with every meal: According to Healthline.com, protein aids in reducing cravings and helps to maintain a healthy weight. See the link for more benefits that are backed by science.

Simply eat real food: While making food choices while traveling, try and stay away from refined foods such as chips, muffins, cakes, cookies and crackers. Opt for whole foods like salads, vegetable based dishes, baked potatoes, meat and fish. Choose foods that are not heavily processed.

According to Healthline, refined carbs may contribute to diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.

Monitor those drinks: Sugary drinks can pack on calories throughout the day. Try unsweetened tea, seltzer water with lime and when it comes to alcohol, many cocktails can pack up to 500 calories. Try a light beer or lower calorie low sugar drink such as vodka with club soda.

Move your body: Set a goal to exercise daily. Go for a walk, hit the gym or take time out to meditate and recharge your mind and body. As little as 20 minutes can provide the needed energy boost and keep you charged. (Popsugar: 2 Important Reasons to Move 20 Minutes a Day)

Remember while traveling, eating properly does not mean you have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. With the right planning and mindset, you can enjoy your trip without packing on the pounds.

kellie_henderson About the Author:

Kellie Henderson works in all sectors of the hospitality, travel and tourism industry at SearchWide Global, a full service executive recruitment firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. She is an expert at recognizing clients’ needs and identifying best-in-class talent. She is also the leader of SearchWide Global’s industrywide diversity initiative and is very involved in several industry organizations.

9 Tips You Can Use NOW to Create a Better Work-life Balance

6.6.2017 by jsl_web_admin

Do you ever feel stressed, overworked, or spread too thin? You’re not alone in feeling this way. Many professionals are in your same boat and are searching for a way to be successful in all aspects of their lives.

Creating a work-life balance can definitely be a challenge at times, but by achieving a good balance in life is key to one’s happiness and overall health. Separating our professional lives from our personal lives is becoming more difficult, thanks to technology and the need for immediate communication.

At SearchWide Global we believe it needs to be a top priority, as poor work-life balance can produce high levels of stress which can lead to health issues, unhappiness and reduced production at work. Nobody wants that!

Here are 9 tips that you can use now to create a more balanced life:

1. Rise and shine – Wake up an hour earlier. It may be tough in the beginning but easing into your morning instead of rushing will produce a more peaceful day. You’ll often hear this as a common denominator among CEO’s and entrepreneurs offering advice on being successful. Do whatever you want with the time, some ideas would be to; get some work done while you have uninterrupted time, have coffee in quiet, prepare a healthy meal for the day, exercise, or read.

2. Build downtime into your schedule – looking ahead, schedule time with family and friends. This way, even when work life is busy, you can manage your time around your already scheduled downtime like you would any meeting on your calendar.

3. Eliminate activities that don’t serve you– limit time wasted on social media sites, gossiping with colleagues and other mindless activities. Take stock of activities that don’t enhance your career or personal life, and reduce the time you spend on them.

4. Exercise – exercise is essential to physical and mental health. We know there are countless studies that show a direct correlation between health, productivity, and energy levels and exercise, yet it is still a challenge to squeeze it in a busy schedule. Find an exercise you enjoy and a time in the day that works for you, before work and before your household wakes, at your lunch hour, or in the evenings perhaps. Then commit to that time throughout the week.

At SearchWide Global we use FitBit’s to track activity and motivate regular exercise; this is also great for team building.

5. Meditate – Meditation is not just for the zen, and has huge benefits when it comes to reducing stress and becoming more aware. Anyone can do it, and anyone can benefit from it. Learn to become more mindful in the present moment (even when you are a busy professional). The Headspace app offers an introduction to medication. Just use the app to walk you through it, at just 10 minutes a day.

6. Relax – take some quiet time for yourself to reflect and make time to do things you enjoy. There is an art about literally, doing nothing. That means no phone, social media, tv, etc. It’s shown to create calmness and create space in your mind for new ideas. But, if your idea of relaxing is watching some tv shows, go ahead. Just try not to fall asleep to it as research shows that can negative effects on your sleep.

7. Volunteer – Giving back and volunteering your time in your community provides stress relief and gives you a sense of accomplishment while helping others. It’s also a great way to offer your skills and learn key leadership attributes. At SearchWide Global, staff is encouraged to take one volunteer day a year during work hours. So if finding the time is an issue, talk to your boss about implementing a similar program.

8. Turn off your phone – You can’t be in 2 places at the same time. If you’re enjoying dinner with your family yet looking down at your phone, the perception is you would rather be with your phone. Make yourself fully available when spending quality time with family and friends.

9. Get back to nature – Evidence shows that spending time in nature can provide a restore your mental well-being, relieve stress, boost your creative juices, and more. Even though a trip to a national forest would be nice, any green space, park, community garden or similar will do.

10. Plan an annual vacation – Okay, actually it’s 10! Consider it a bonus, because this one can be life-changing on its own. Take a vacation (or vacations if possible) throughout the year. The Dalai Lama said,

“Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before”.

The memories and experiences that you gain from taking a vacation are truly priceless. If you have a hard time getting away, plan ahead. This helps you stay committed to the dates you plan to travel and gives you time to save funds for the trip.

For on-going encouragement, a great resource is Project Time Off.

“Project: Time Off aims to shift culture so that using personal time off is not considered frivolous, but essential to strengthening families and improving personal health, a business investment with proven returns, and an economic necessity.” (www.projecttimeoff.com).

Start today by trying a few of these tips and you will begin to experience a better balance at work and home. Here’s to a more balanced you!

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SearchWide Global is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism, hospitality, convention, trade association, venue management and experiential marketing industries. We specialize in C-Level and Director level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies and associations. Headquartered in St. Paul, MN, USA and several regional offices, we’re able to serve clients and candidates nationwide. Founded in 1999, we have remained focused on our four core values for almost two decades: INTEGRITY, ETHICS, PASSION and RESPECT.

How to Know if a Company is the Right Fit for You – Before Accepting the Position

3.21.2017 by jsl_web_admin

By: Mark Gnatovic

Many times prospective candidates do not do enough of their own homework and evaluation of the company they are interviewing with to determine if this move will be a move filled with success, and even more important, the happiness they seek. Based on our many years of experience we’ve put together some great advice to turn to while you are in the interview and hiring process. This will help you determine if the company is a good fit for you before you accept the position.

The key is to evaluate the company just as much as they evaluate you.

Here are some helpful thoughts to consider before you accept a new job:

1. The first thing to ask yourself, “can I be successful in this position”? There are plenty of “cool” jobs out there, or positions that you have dreamed about, sound exciting, but are they right for you? Consider the position inside and out, the responsibilities, and how it translates to your experience, is it a role you can see yourself being successful in? How will you compare to other likely candidates?

2. Okay, you’re comfortable with #1, now consider the company and how it fits with you and your livelihood. It’s your life, know what is important to you! Ask yourself if you are comfortable with the hours, travel, perhaps weekends and even nights. If you don’t know the answers to those questions, find out now before it’s too late.

3. How about the personality of the person you will report to? Does his/her leadership style align with you? Will your potential new boss provide a platform for your success? Ask a couple leading questions like “what’s your style of leadership and what does success look like to you?”

4. Ask about the team that you will eventually partner with and that will support you (and you them) towards success. Maybe, ”tell me about the existing team that is in place, what challenges or successes have they had and why”?

5. Evaluate the office atmosphere…did the person working the front desk greet you? Do people look at you in the eye and say “hi” as you walk by and into the interview room. Try and gather a sense for what a typical day would feel like, what mood does it put you in?

6. What does the culture feel like? A simple question, “tell me about the culture here”. How about personal health, do you see people wearing Fitbits, using stability balls, or stand-up desks? If it’s important to you, be aware of the culture and environment. Ask for a tour of the office.

7. As you consider the company, ask (and do you own homework/evaluation) what makes them better than their competitive set? It may not be the largest and most financially heavy company (although money in the bank is SUPER important), but what makes this company stand out? First off, know their competitive set and ask, “how do you compete against ABC and what are your biggest challenges when competing against them? What makes “us” stand out to “them”?

8. How about the size of the company? Some people do better with a larger, more defined responsibility vs. a smaller, more cutting edge and entrepreneurial opportunity. Just recognize what is ahead for you where there are more opportunities for “all hands on deck”. And, for the entrepreneurial “opportunities” that come with long range money, you need to get those promises in writing.

9. Why is the position available? What happened to the last person? Or why has this position been created? These are fantastic questions that may help you determine if the role fits you.

Your own unique discovery process on shared beliefs, ethics, integrity and morals are ALL no brainers. Every company is unique in its own right, and so are you. Don’t make a move just to make the move. Find a home that you will inspire you, challenge you, and provide opportunities for your career.

A good candidate must interview the interviewers almost as much as they will interview you. Trust your gut and good luck!

Tag: work-life balance

Corporate Mindfulness: Taking Wellness a Step Further

So why has mindfulness gained popularity in both our professional and personal worlds? Here are a few potential reasons:

Why SearchWide Global Has One Millennial Team Member Embarking On A Digital Nomad Lifestyle

How to Stay Healthy During the Holiday Season

READ MORE: On Work-Life Balance

Tips on Eating Healthy While Traveling

Read more: Three Superfood Recipes for a Healthier You

Read more: USAE News: SearchWide Global Creates “Wellness” Program Honoring The Late Jim Carra

9 Tips You Can Use NOW to Create a Better Work-life Balance

Here are 9 tips that you can use now to create a more balanced life:

Start today by trying a few of these tips and you will begin to experience a better balance at work and home. Here’s to a more balanced you!

How to Know if a Company is the Right Fit for You – Before Accepting the Position

Here are some helpful thoughts to consider before you accept a new job:

Read more: The Perfect Interview Outfits for Both Men and Women

Read more: 10 Things You Need to Know to Ace an Interview