Moving Your Body and Mind

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Do you realize that exercise and movement are in fact not always the same? Movement comes in many forms. There’s the physical type, of course, but then there’s the type that requires making personal progress in our lives; the kind that might not be visible to the eye but still requires much effort. This is why movement is also one of our favorite –ment words. 

The more simple definition of movement is described as a change or development. This could possibly be the best definition in my opinion. Why? Because the meanings are endless.  

 

Physical movement   

Yes, physical movement is important. Exercise is oftentimes based on the movements we already do in our daily lives. Things like walking, starting the lawnmower, squatting to reach your cooking pans, etc. It sounds pretty basic and to be honest – it is. But that’s the point!

It’s not always about burning calories, it’s about giving our bodies the attention they need. Weightlifting and running are great, but we forget about the smaller things that we can do as well. Things such as working on your posture by sitting on barstools or on the floor (I’ve been doing this a lot lately and it definitely draws focus on how your body is positioned). Stretching frequently and taking non-strenuous walks can also be a good option. 

Living a rather sedentary lifestyle isn’t uncommon these days and especially so when the word “quarantine” has become a casual thing. But research shows that the less active we are, the less active our minds are. This can lead to mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression. 

 

Movement in life

This one might be rather non-traditional, but it is definitely a thing. 

Be active. Not just physically, but in the things you do daily. Move towards the things you want. Be active in the journey towards accomplishing your goals. Set goals. Work towards them. Do little things. Whatever you do, don’t stop!

A part of what allows us to get to where we want to be in life is the people, places, and attitudes we surround ourselves with. We have the choice to actively seek out what we need in order to grow. As we said before, the opportunities are endless. 

We like to see everyone moving forward in life and how + where you work should not be what holds you back. That’s why we created a space with the freedom to move as you please, both in life and from one downtown Bowling Green hotspot to the next.

 

Bottomline

Progress comes from movement. You will never get anywhere if you don’t take that next step. We are here to take those steps with you, beside you, or carry you up to them if need be! You’re making big moves and so are we. Let’s do this. 

 

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DIY Workouts

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Goodbye traditional ways of working out, hello getting creative and DIY workouts. There is no denying that the new norms we have been forced to adapt to have brought about some disruption. However, it’s never too late to bring some normalcy and structure back into your life. Getting active and exercising is the perfect way to do this. Whether you’re still stuck at home or transitioning back to office life, we’ve got some ideas that should fit into the lifestyles of just about everyone. If you thought you needed a gym membership or fancy equipment, think again!

 

Get moving – at home

Got kids? No problem! Incorporate your little ones into the workout. I guarantee they will have a ball with it. Make it a family thing and bring everyone into it! 

Play a game. Make your workout a little more fun or rewarding. Grab a deck of cards, assign an action to each one and the number on your card is your number of reps! Try to get through the whole deck or challenge someone else. 

Gather up those household items. Creating our own home weights since…well the 2020 pandemic I guess. I’m not even going to lie and say I don’t have at least three college textbooks lying around that never got any use…until now! I’ve been hearing that water jugs can really up the challenge also. 

Bed stretches. Yep, it’s a thing and you’ll love it. Not having to get out of bed for this one, or better yet – already completing something before even putting your feet on the ground. That’s my kind of time management. 

Get involved. If we haven’t all learned by now, 2020 has gone remote. There are so many great ways to stay in touch with others during this time. From Zoom to Instagram Live, and even Facetime, group workouts are all great options. If nothing else, you can always watch past videos from most of these events so if you miss a workout, you can go back and find it! 

Our community partner Bowling Green Backyard Bootcamp has been doing just this for all of their bootcampers. Head coach and owner Allison Millet has classes for all types of workouts every day of the week! Affordable prices, perks, and a coach who knows how to keep in touch and engage with their audiences – That’s what we like to hear! Many of our members are taking advantage of their Ment member perk this week and are attending a series of FREE workout classes (some, maybe even as we speak.) 

Get moving – at the office

Office stretches. That’s right, you can do them at your workplace too. Most of us probably already are because let’s face it – sitting in a chair all day makes for the perfect way for your body to get stiff. Do you know how many modern-day offices I’ve seen with a yoga mat in the corner? I’m telling you, people are catching on! Taking a five-minute break and sitting on your phone at the desk OR simply standing up and moving a little to get your body back into alignment. It’s no longer a tough choice for me! 

Leg/arm lifts. If it’s something you’re already doing in the gym or at home, why not do it at the office! Bring those small hand weights with you in your work bag or grab a paperweight or stapler from the desk and build a little muscle while you check emails or watch that new training video your boss sent you. 

Take the stairs. This may not be for everyone but it definitely is an option. It requires discipline, I’ll admit, but it will be worth it when you get one step closer to meeting your goals! It’s a sure-fire way to get in some cardio at the workplace. 

Wall/desk workouts. There are really endless options for this one. From squats to wall push-ups to everything in between, all you really need is your desk chair and the four walls you’re already sitting in! Fair warning: shutting the office door and/or blinds may yield better results and prevent an office audience outside your window, but that one is up to you! 

Stand-up Meetings. I used to think this was a crazy idea. Standing up for an entire meeting? But then I realized in my 9 -5 job as a cashier, sitting down isn’t even an option. So actually I’ve just been training for this one! But seriously – sitting in a chair all day? It’s overrated. There are actually a ton of benefits to doing this in the workplace. Did you know it also improves productivity? If there was something you could do to think better – wouldn’t you? 

 

Make it a good one!

Sure our year may be looking a little different than we intended, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the best of it by getting creative with ways to maintain an active lifestyle. Maybe you have become a bit of a couch potato here lately? You’re not alone! But it’s never too late to re-spark that motivation that you had and make 2020 the year that you planned it to be. We haven’t forgotten about our 3:59s and if you never made a new year’s resolution, it’s never too late to set a goal (or a few) for yourself! 

If you thought Ment Cowork was just an office, we’re here to remind you that we are a community first and foremost. We’ve got the space to roll out your yoga mat, roll your workout ball in or anything else your heart desires. Don’t be a stranger, we are here and we are open! 

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Interning Through a Pandemic

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As an intern during my first ever “PR gig,” it’s been a time to be alive. I’ve learned quite a bit about what my future PR job may consist of, but needless to say, nothing has prepared me quite like working in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. 

The biggest thing I have learned to do: adapt. 

I thought I knew what this meant. You plan out all of your posts (I heart you Hootsuite) and change them a little as you go. Trending topics? You write a blog on them of course. You plan out this really cute post about how it is a beautiful day outside – and then it ends up raining on that day. Bummer but no biggie right? You exchange a few words and replace “sunny” with “rainy” and voila! 

 

Reality

But then “disaster” strikes *cue the scary sound effects* and you are forced to redo months’ worth of content. All of that hard work, all of the well thought out content and photos that you took and they are now gone. It’s another few days behind the computer rethinking everything. Canceling the event you were working so hard on and living on the internet as you now go into “crisis mode.” 

You’re now producing emails that are as compassionate but also as immediate as you can to send to clients, customers, and community members. Posting on social media constantly and updating the public on how you are taking precautions and what this means for you all as a business (even though you’re still figuring it out yourselves). 

I probably made this sound awful, but the reality? It woke me up quickly to what the PR world is really like. Did it scare me? A little. But did it send me running? Definitely not. As they say – you have to see something in its darkest moments to really love it right? Well, PR…I still love you. 

In a perfect world where I love to have everything planned out and know what to expect, this was not ideal for me but like many other things, we must ADAPT. And so I did just this. 

In fact, it kicked my but into gear. I was more motivated than ever to turn this into my opportunity to create something new and different. It presented me with a challenge and if nothing else, gave me a reason to still get out of bed early during this whole quarantine life. 

 

What it taught me

A few keywords and phrases to describe what has been proven to be the most important: 

Adapting, innovation, creativity, set yourself apart, communication and crisis communication, determination, quick on your feet, don’t give up, teamwork, ideas ideas ideas (that’s one phrase) and growth…just to name a few. 

So with all of this being said, I am choosing to turn all of this into a “good” thing…after all, that’s what we’re all trying to do right? To find the good in all of this madness? So when someone asks me how my first ever public relations internship went my answer will be – hectic. 

After a strange look, I will follow with “insightful.” I learned how to adapt, and re-evaluate and more than anything – to grow. So when I have my next interview and someone asks that dreaded “tell me a time when you had to solve a problem and how did you do it?” question, you can guarantee I will have an answer for that one! 

Who knows, this could just be my “leg up” in the world of public relations.  

Needless to say – I am currently trying to figure out how to add “Ment Cowork Digital Media Intern (and kicking butt during a pandemic)” to my resume. Subtle right? 

 

Here’s the hard part

Oh, did I mention my time at Ment Cowork has come to an end? That’s right guys, I am parting ways with my new favorite Bowling Green space and one that will always be in my heart. From creating my first official press release and campaign plan to being part of planning events, building relationships, and creating content, I am more confident moving toward a future in PR. I even reinvigorated my passion for writing through my newfound love of blogging! 

Ment Cowork and my amazing community manager Hayley Kruth inspired me to keep improving and pushing toward what I love. Our building owner JD has shown me what can happen when you truly put 110% into everything you do. My time at Ment has inspired me to better myself, my brand, my image, and everything in between! 

As I figure out what my summer (post-pandemic) looks like, I will then be finishing my last year of college to receive my double major in photojournalism and public relations, and as always, making my own opportunities as I go along. 

On the other hand, our fellow Ment Marketing intern, Sarah Tipton (round of applause for all of her amazing work this semester as well!) will be taking over for me in the following weeks as the new digital media intern this summer. Get ready for some more amazing content and keep your eyes open for what happens next. The world of work as we know it is about to change and I cannot wait to see how Ment Cowork thrives.  

 

See ya later Ment!  

 

Feel free to keep up with me via social! 
hannahvanover.com 
@_hannah_vanover_
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Communication is Key

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Crisis communication: It’s something that none of us want to think about but it is necessary.

If there’s one thing we in the business world have learned in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, it’s the importance of communication. Although we already had a pretty good lock on this, we learned how to take it up a notch (or few) when “crisis” occurred. 

As an intern during my first ever “PR gig,” it’s been quite a time to be alive. (Don’t worry I’ve got a whole blog post planned on how this has been an experience for me.) But a few things I will say have become an area of focus for me: preparation and communication.

Keeping your clients and customers, employees, and the public informed is crucial to remaining successful during times like this. If you have the mindset of “it can’t happen to me,” guess what? You’re wrong and it will. 

“The days of playing ostrich – burying your head in the sand and hoping the problem goes away – are gone.” –Jonathon Bernstein, crisis management professional. 

 

A few tips: 

Prepare. Anticipating what may come is always the best first step. While it may be impossible to know what will happen and when it is even more of a reason to develop a general plan. When and if disaster does strike, at least you will be ahead of the game. 

Communicate. People want to know what’s going on, how you’re handling it, and what that means for them. You may not even know yet yourself, but the sooner you face the music, the better it will be. Ignoring your situation or putting it off will surely dig you deeper into a whole. Be honest. Be clear. And be upfront. Admit that it has/will change some things and you are doing your best to deal with it.

Over Communicating does not exist during a crisis. Share often and share as much as you know. People want to know that they are not alone and need to stay informed. More than likely, they won’t care if your video isn’t the best quality – they care that you took the time out of your day to make something addressing the situation and letting them know that you are there for them. This is what people will remember you for. 

Values. What better time to reinforce those values than now? (Hince our current theme for this month.) If you were thinking this was a way to throw everything out of the window and start running – you’re looking at it all wrong. Stand up and show the public eye (who is already watching even closer than before) what you stand for. If your values are in the right place, then it shouldn’t be hard to tie them to what you stand for. 

Compassion. Telling someone something that is truly earth-shattering is one thing, but having no regard for how it may impact them? That is catastrophic. Acknowledge the situation and the severity of it. Of course, you don’t want to cause panic but you also don’t want to sweep it under the rug. Offer your sincerity for the situation at hand and offer your support to them from your company. Maybe you can volunteer or offer fundraising support? Maybe you can donate equipment or supplies during this time? Even offering discounts or sales during this time can show that you care.  

Relevance. Make your changes – then communicate AGAIN. The last thing you want to do is have one of your pre-scheduled social media posts go out about how great the economy doing in the midst of a crisis. Make sure you keep an eye on your content and change it to fit the situation. There’s simply no way of getting around this one. You WILL need to create more content and probably scratch or rearrange a lot of it as well. 

 

Ment Cowork

We are no different from this world of crisis communication. For us, it meant restructuring our social media and blog content and reaching out to our members to keep them updated as we went. We contacted our community partners to develop plans moving forward and developed alternative ways to offer our services and perks to our members. 

Developing additional communication formats including an Instagram group and Slack channel, as well as weekly emailed newsletters for our members and weekly zoom meetings for staff was a transition but it is paying off. Lastly, we developed a campaign and Facebook group to encourage community support during this time. The possibilities are endless. It’s all about taking a route of action that best suits you. 

 

Getting Specific

I know – it’s a lot to take in. If you’re in a hurry, we’ve compiled a list to keep it short and sweet. Here are some of the best ways to follow crisis communications:

-Develop a crisis management plan

-Monitor social platforms and trends.

-Enact a crisis communications team and/or spokesperson.

-Communicate with staff members – make sure they understand the plan and are on the same page.

-Address the public (speeches, conferences, social media, etc.) 

-Develop holding statements. 

-Restructure content as needed.

-Reinforce or lockdown company values during this time.

-Offer compassion and understanding.

-Communicate, communicate, communicate. 

 

During a crisis, there are two types of people: the ones who go silent and the ones who get louder. 

Let’s be honest here – when this pandemic is over, are you going to the businesses that stayed silent or the ones that fought hard and loud to come out of it? My bet is on the ones who fought. They wanted it bad and they knew how to handle the situation…or maybe they didn’t, BUT they learned and they fought – and that’s what we all want to see. They were the ones making sure their products were still provided to you. And that makes all the difference in my book.

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