This is going to be a short post because I’m still pretty tired. I missed last Thursday’s post because I was laying in a hospital bed, wired for sound in the cardiac unit. I had a stroke on Wednesday. Let me tell ya something, strokes aren’t fun and it pretty much freaked me out.

What do strokes have to do with marketing? Er … nothing, except that if you’re in the hospital, you can’t do much in the way of marketing. So, the preach today is take care of yourself.

In retrospect, I made a slight tactical error. I tend to wake up early, usually around 4:00 AM. Then I work until it’s time to go to the office, where I work. When I get home, I work some more. Bad idea. Do what you need to do to make time for yourself. Sure, you need to work to build your business, but too much will likely mess you up.

Although I try to eat healthy, I do enjoy my coffee. In the morning, I’d have a triple Cuban espresso. That was followed by a Starbucks’ venti coffee of the day on the way into the office. I love Starbucks, but you should be concerned when the smallest coffee is called a “tall.” Well, now it’s a venti decaf and the Cuban espressos are history.

I smoked like a chimney. Hospitals are funny. For some strange reason they don’t let you smoke in the cardiac unit. Go figure. So, I was off the smokes for four days. When I got out, I slipped and had a few. But, I joined a smoking cessation program and they’re helping me out. If you smoke, do what you can to quit. Enough said.

In days gone by, I was a regular gym rat, pumping iron about four days a week and I’d ride my bike 10 or so miles on the other days. Then, this and that happened and I stopped going to the gym. Now it’s time to get back into the swing of things and get back into shape. Find time to exercise. Think of it as just another meeting. If you had to see a client, you’d make the time. Exercise time is no different. Simply schedule it in.

In the end, if you’re not healthy you’re no good to your business, your clients and your family and friends. Guard your health as you most prized possession.

Okay, I’m done now and stepping down from my soapbox.

Until the next
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt