By Renee Martinez, Founder of Raising Boys World
Normally on Fridays, I write about travel with your boys. Today I’ll be focusing on taking on a mental vacation. It’s crazy, I have been so incredibly busy that I feel as if I haven’t been processing what’s even going on in my life. Do you ever feel like that? Like a mouse just spinning on a wheel. I keep going, going, going – but have no idea what I’ve been doing. Yikes. Besides this blog, I work as a marketing consultant. I’ve been incredibly busy with a few clients (designing a logo, writing press releases, and working on some social media stuff). Add having kids in the mix with all their activities – plus, it’s my 20 year high school reunion this weekend (scary thought that 20 years just flew by) so planning for that. UGH. Time to slow down and focus. This is where exercising is helpful for me. When I need to “get away” from reality, I pack the two little guys into the jog stroller and go for a run. Listening to my iPod, I can escape from them while I sweat my brains out from pushing 60lbs. in front of me. The music is key to taking a mental vacation. This way if they’re screaming or whining as I run; I can’t hear a thing. Sounds relaxing huh? There have been plenty of times that I’ve run toting whining kids, passing neighbors who probably think I’m a terrible mom for ignoring them. Hey, what can I say. Car drives are good too. Sometimes going for a mid-afternoon to nowhere does wonders to relax your mind. I can pack them up in the car, head to Starbucks for a latte and drive to a friend’s house just a little farther out of my normal realm. They always fall asleep. That’s a bonus. Then they wake up and have a playdate with some friends they don’t see very often. Walks and bike rides work great too. Especially when I plan for an adventure on the way. Sometimes, it’s good to just go somewhere and escape. Us moms need to maintain our sanity! Take a minute for our self today or this weekend. Even if you just make yourself sit down for 5 uninterrupted minutes, you’ll be glad you did. I’d love to hear your comments!
About the Author: Renee consults and speaks professionally on social media marketing, integrated marketing communications, public relations and branding. She is the president of Ruby Marketing Communications (www.rubymarcom.com), a boutique marketing communications company that specializes in providing branding, social media strategy and integration, and creative services. Her blog (www.lisac95.sg-host.com), provides resources on everything marketing and social media for her active audience.
Renee has contributed as a featured monthly columnist in the monthly jewelry industry publication, JCK, on matters related to internet marketing as well as in InStore Magazine as a featured blogger where she writes about developing effective marketing strategies for the jewelry industry using social media. She is the founder of: Social Media Biz Summit (www.socialmediabizsummit.com), the first large-scale SM conference to come to Buffalo, NY; #jewelrychat, a weekly twitter chat for the jewelry industry and www.RaisingBoysWorld.com. Renee teaches social marketing courses at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY for the business school as well as offers small group social media marketing training and educational seminars for businesses in Western New York and beyond.
Renee has dabbled in the internet marketing arena since the early 90′s and is not ashamed to call herself a “marketing geek”. From chatting in AOL, “sharing” music on Napster, and teaching HTML classes before it was considered “cool” to developing comprehensive social media strategies, effective public relations campaigns and managing online communities (most recently Chevy Girls Buffalo).
She enjoys being able to help people find their voice online and to create buzz about their product or service that will give them the results they desire.
Renee can be found on Twitter (@reneemmartinez) and Facebook (http:/www.facebook.com/RubyMarCom).
