Don’t be afraid to grow or reinvent yourself. But don’t feel pressure to be something you’re not.
If you are new to Cedar & Rush, Work Smarter, Not Harder (WSNH) is a weekly column showcasing Chicago’s leading ladies – think CEO’s, entrepreneurs, and everyday women making a difference – and how they work smarter, not harder. I decided upon Monday so we can kick off the week as productive and as motivated as possible. If you love a particular piece of advice or have any tips of your own, please share by tagging #WSNH2015 on Instagram and Twitter.
I know I say this every time, but I am ecstatic to introduce you to Mariah of Elevate Mobile Fitness today! Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with her on my nutrition and leading a healthier lifestyle. She helps “busy” people who think they don’t have time to make healthy choices, actually make healthy choices! It’s all online and via email, which is perfect for us constantly running around {AKA everyone}. I especially love her approach. Success doesn’t happen over night and small changes {over time} make big results. There is no quick fix when it comes to your life. Easy come, easy go right? I love a woman who does stuff the right way and her methods are approachable. Given she is an entrepreneur and helps professionals, I couldn’t wait to get her on Work Smarter, Not Harder. Luckily she obliged. Now that I’ve stolen her thunder, I will let her spill the details. Oh and be sure to download her “Happy Hour Guide” after the read. Thanks so much Mariah!
Mariah, please explain your job and any other networks, projects, etc. you participate in on a regular basis. I own Elevate Mobile Fitness—an online fitness company dedicated to helping busy professionals get and stay fit within their busy schedules. Exercise can feel like one more item to check off our ever-growing list. What I love is to get people over that hurdle so they realize they’re actually gaining time, energy, and productivity when they take care of their bodies.
How did you get to your current position? I started Elevate Mobile Fitness while working full-time (and then some!) as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. I loved my job, but two themes kept coming up for me. One, we were raising all this money for cancer research, only to discover that we already have a lot of the answers for preventing much of chronic disease. Did you know that fully one-third of cancer deaths could be avoided by exercising and eating the right foods? That’s staggering to me!
But the second theme that emerged was our increasingly busy lifestyles are becoming more and more prohibitive from making healthy choices. I was already certified in personal training and yoga. As much as we move for my husband’s job, the time was right for me to give it a go. I’ve always been attracted to the freedom of working for myself. Last year we ended up living in Alaska for four months for my husband’s work. I trained a few clients at the local rec center. But mostly I holed up in our little apartment and learned everything I possibly could about social media, online marketing and running an online business.
What time do you typically get up in the morning? My barking Chihuahuas keep me accountable to a 5 AM wake-up call.
How do you take your coffee and what do you typically eat for breakfast? I stir some coconut oil and Silk soy creamer in my coffee. I’ve also tried to switch to only organic coffee at home.
Quickly walk us through your morning routine: My morning routine is admittedly not quick. At least the first hour is dedicated to feeding the dogs and sipping coffee with my husband. Then comes exercise—usually running, yoga, or weights—followed by breakfast and shower. Lately I’ve been getting in a 7-minute meditation, then I plan my day and to-do list on Trello. I have a policy to not check email or social media until all the other stuff is done. That really makes me focused and productive.
What is the best way to get your foot in the door of your dream job? Well, in the nonprofit world, it was all about volunteering. Companies want to know you’re interested in them specifically and they’re not just filling a spot on your resume. I volunteered for the American Cancer Society for a year before being hired. Oh, and I’m persistent. I think I applied for three or four positions with them before I got hired.
What resources do you use to stay organized and remember tasks? I am newly in love with Trello. I am also a graduate of Chalene Johnson’s Smart Success Academy. This has significantly disciplined me to plan my day; do one thing at a time; and write down and track Every. Single. Thing.
What mistake do you see people constantly make that they should be aware of? I can’t point fingers because I used to be just as guilty about this as anyone – the practice of checking emails and text messages in real-time really is an epidemic. If I’m in the middle of something, and I stop to reply to an email, I’ve just really decreased my chances of actually getting stuff done. Just because you’re staring at your computer all day, doesn’t mean you’re moving your business forward.
How do you conquer your inbox? I hit my major two or three goals for the day before scanning my emails. It takes a lot of willpower and I’m not perfect. But if my project requires me to write or respond to a particular email, I don’t open other emails. Dedicating my last hour before dinner to clean up the outstanding emails ensures I’ve taken care of everything that needs my attention—in the right order!
How do you format your emails? I am probably wordier than I need to be. Which is funny, because in real life I am on the quiet side. However I want to ensure the recipient understands what I’m communicating and didn’t leave anything out. If it’s a long email, using bullet points is easier to follow.
How do you make time for working out and staying healthy? You’d think this would be easy for me since it’s my job. However running a business requires 90% of my time in front of a computer, so I still have to work at it! Unless one of us is sick and didn’t sleep well, I work out about six days a week, first thing in the morning. (Sometimes with my husband, sometimes alone.) I plan my workouts in accordance with my season in life and what my objective is—am I looking to gain muscle for a photo shoot? Train for a race? Manage my stress from another move? Then I’ll tailor my activities accordingly—usually some combo of running, power yoga, bodyweight exercises, free weights, and the occasional weight machine. As for nutrition, I plan a weekly splurge meal, which keeps me from feeling deprived throughout the week. I also avoid virtually all refined sugar. I do enjoy wine regularly, but limit it to one or two glasses.
What are your favorite tips for keeping an organized workspace? The desk has to stay clear! Even if your drawers aren’t super organized, having a place to hide everything from your desk surface keeps you mentally calm. I keep a soy candle inside this candle tin from Target. Burning it at my desk is good motivation to keep the rest of my space neat so I can enjoy it.
What other pieces of advice can you share? Don’t be afraid to grow or reinvent yourself. But don’t feel pressure to be something you’re not.
Favorites:
* Favorite Apps: Trello, Relax Melodies
* Favorite Resources: FreshBooks for expense-keeping, WPCurve for website help, Fiver.com for getting quick jobs done, and Honest Company and Amazon subscription services for keeping cruelty-free, chemical-free household products and pantry items stocked in my house
* Favorite Books: This is where I digress from fitness! I was a philosophy major and love deep, make-you-think nonfiction. I love the spiritual writings of Anne Lamott, Bishop John Shelby Sponge, and Rob Bell. The copies of their work on my bookshelf are all underlined, dog-eared, and read multiple times.
* Favorite Programs: Chalene Johnson’s Smart Success Academy, Amy Porterfield’s Profit Lab.
* Favorite Websites: Cedar and Rush! Also, Life of Meg for lifestyle blogging. And Pinterest because it’s Pinterest!
* Favorite Gadget: My Mac Airbook
*Anything else? Thank you so much for inviting me to the #WSNH series! I’ve been following the series since Day #1, and I’m honored to be among the likes of such great women.
Mariah, so much fun having you today! And I need to adopt your policy of not checking email or social media prior to getting the big stuff done. P.S. Does she not have the most rocking bod ever?
As mentioned, Mariah is sharing her Happy Hour Guide here, that’s filled with amazing tricks of the trade. Who doesn’t love a good HH?
Want more? You can find all Work Smarter Not Harder posts right here.
I love this post! Mariah is full of great advice and motivation. If she can run a business and still find time to plan, workout, and eat healthfully… I can too! Can’t wait to read more in this thread!
So nice of you to say, Meg! One small decision at a time! 🙂
So much great info and inspiring! I’m a big fan of Chalene Johnson too and always wondered about her Smart Success program.
Alison, first off–thanks! Second, Smart Success is a big investment but a great program if you commit to actually DOING what she teaches. Attending the seminar this spring had the biggest impact on me. Have you tried her free 30 Day Push video series?
This is a great post, such a good series!