June is National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month, and for those that spend a lot of time in the great outdoors with personal farms or gardens, or who have a highly flexible schedule allowing them to eat healthy and do continual shopping and meal prep, it's easy to celebrate this "holiday.” However, for business owners with busy schedules and a mile-long to-do list, making healthy eating a priority isn't easy. Too often, we are forced to turn to convenience foods (or run through the drive-thru) to give us energy throughout the day between meetings, business errands, and trying to maintain life outside of work, but unfortunately, this will negatively affect your energy levels over time, and is terrible for your blood pressure, cholesterol, sodium levels, and more. So, what can you do to get those daily doses of fruits and veggies in, while keeping up with your busy lifestyle?

Plan ahead. By looking ahead and your week and having a plan for your meals, you're more likely to incorporate healthy options than "eating on the fly" and picking up food last minute...or cleaning out your fridge by dining on leftover Chinese takeout. There are lots of ways to incorporate healthy eating into your weekly routine by having a meal plan. For example, there are lots of ideas online about prepping various salads for the week, and then you simply throw the jar into your lunch bag along with the dressing, grab a bottled water, and you're set to go! This can even be mixed up and eaten while out and about between client consultations and picking up kids from soccer camp! Another idea is to plan out healthy dinners during the week, and cook enough for leftovers for your lunch the next day. Not only does this help your whole family practice healthier eating, but by having your lunch packed and ready to go the night prior, you'll save time in the mornings without sacrificing health.
Make sure your meals (and snacks) pack a punch. Need a breakfast on the go? Instead of reaching for a bagel or a granola bar, why not plan for 10 extra minutes of prep and whip up a smoothie? Smoothies are a wonderful way to get in several servings of fresh fruits (and veggies if you add spinach, carrots, or other mildly flavored options in!) without having to take time to sit down and eat a large breakfast. You can whiz up a smoothie in the blender, throw it in a transportable cup with a straw, and you have a healthy breakfast to sustain you throughout your morning commute. Keep the same thing in mind for lunches and snacks throughout the day. Reach for fresh options like carrot sticks instead of potato chips alongside your sandwich, or an apple instead of a cookie when the afternoon slump rolls around.
Shop local! Yes, we know fresh produce, especially if it's organic, can be a bit pricey in the grocery store when compared to convenience options. That's why we encourage you to shop local. Right here in our own county, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Lake Wales, and surrounding communities have weekly, or bi-weekly, farmers markets and street fairs during the summer where local gardeners put out their produce for purchase. You know you are getting fresh, top-quality fruits and vegetables, and you're supporting a neighbor and fellow business owner. It's a win-win. Plus, by buying fruits and veggies that are in season, you know they'll taste better, and likely have a higher nutrient content.
By maintaining healthy eating habits this summer, your body will thrive and you'll see your energy increase and your strength improve. In the same way, Newton Peach Marketing is ready to help you maintain healthy business strategies to increase your client base and grow your brand! Through a customized blend of social media engagement and content creation, blogging, local advertisement, and more, we target a specific audience for your company, to keep you growing and expanding within the community and beyond.

Happy June! Stay healthy and happy!

Now that Christmas and New Years is behind us, we are all looking at the rest of 2018 on the horizon and gearing up for everything it brings with it. Preparing for the coming months has many people making resolutions about health, finances, personal growth, or even items to check off of their bucket list, but for business owners, ringing in a new year involves other types of preparation as well. When you are the head of a business, regardless of the size, you know that the upcoming year means not only managing yourself, but also a team of employees, and all of the personal and financial efforts that come along with them. However, it's key to remember that your staff is worth that effort, because they are the heart and soul of your company!

There are many ways you can give your staff a much needed (and likely appreciated) motivation this coming year, to ensure they are happy, efficient, and ready to help you continue to be successful and grow throughout 2018 and beyond. Ideas to consider include:

A facelift! Giving your office space a facelift can be a huge morale boost for you and for your employees. Whether it's sprucing up the bathrooms, adding a new break area, or giving your employees better desk and seating options, making the area where you must work each day more inviting is a great way to kick off a new year.
New Incentives. Everyone loves incentives, from small children receiving stickers for their efforts, to adults working hard for their next work bonus. There are many types of incentives you could use to keep your staff energized and excited about their daily work. Perhaps you could offer a special staff lunch for quotas being met on time, or give an employee a day off for reaching a certain number of sales/calls/etc. for a particular time period. Whatever you choose as the motivation, your staff will be sure to perk up and work harder if they have some type of reward to look forward to.
Make your staff feel appreciated. Holidays aren't the only time you should recognize your staff as people outside of the work they do each day. Hosting periodic business breakfasts, taking your employees out for dinner, or simply picking up a surprise box of donuts for the break room are all ways you can remind you staff that they are noticed and appreciated.
Motivational training. Consider having your entire office (YOU included!) take some kind of motivational training. Learning together about topics such as teamwork can offer tools for making your business stronger from the ground up.

We hope these ideas help spark a plan for your business this coming year. We know your goal is to grow and thrive, and that's our goal for you too. Newton Peach Marketing makes it easier by doing the hard work of getting your business in front of the people who need it, and growing your customer base for you. That lets you focus on the important things, like managing your business and taking care of your staff.

Give us a call to let us set up a custom marketing plan for you in 2018, from social media optimization to designing your new business cards. We've got you covered!