3 Ways to Play It Up This Season
Who’s up for a little play time?
It sounds counter-intuitive, I know, since these last few weeks of the year are some of the busiest and arguably the most stressful in our industry’s annual cycle.
Yet that is also the exact reason to add a little play, a little levity, and a little diversion to the day-to-day mix. Play engages us. It energizes us. When we flip the paradigm – a hallmark of every great skit or joke or game – then we’re literally seeing things in a new way, which could be the creative jolt we need to problem-solve our way through the holidays.
Also, have I mentioned that play is just plain FUN?
Here are three ways to play that are in heavy rotation in my neck of the woods these days.
Where Should We Begin: A Game of Stories
Esther Perel, author and therapist, designed this game for our re-emergence from the pandemic, to connect and reconnect in a time of social atrophy. It’s intended as a tool to help us overcome our shared social anxiety and, partial as I am to storytelling (and to Perel’s work in general), I think her concept of “prompt cards” and “story cards” is clever and provocative. I dare you not to laugh or share or discover during the game. It just isn’t possible.
Take a Technology Sabbath
Recently I came across Tiffany Shlain’s book, 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week. Shlain, who is a filmmaker and founder of the Webby Awards, has adapted the Jewish practice of the Sabbath to reduce our dependency on technology. Her top tip for preparing for a tech sabbath? Start by making a list of things you want to do more of. What would be on the list, for you? I’m willing to bet that at least a few of those things fall under the category of “play,” whether that’s “Hang out with friends” or “Golf” or “Pet the dog.” Drop the technology, boost the play.
Make Tabata Work (Play) for You
Ever heard of Tabata? I think of it as a type of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout, where you alternate segments of intense exercise with segments of rest. Sixty seconds “on,” say, then 30 seconds “off,” for a certain number of rounds. It’s an awesome way to increase metabolism! But the reason I’m mentioning it here in the context of play is that there’s a Tabata app that tracks the timing of the rounds, and the timing is adjustable. So, you could repurpose that exercise application to play time. You could set the timer for a ten-minute session, 60 seconds “on” and 30 seconds “off,” where the “on” segments include any version of play you like, like dancing around your living room or telling someone your favorite joke or a “lightning round” with friends of creating short movie clips that recreate your favorite memories of 2021.
Let the play, and the creativity, begin!
Have you thought about play lately? Or, better, have you actually done play lately? What did it look like? How did it feel? We’d love to hear.
Play on.
Namaste,
Cathy
What We're Reading:
Here's what has piqued our interest this week in the world of wine and mindfulness.
How To Make It Easy to Talk About Mental Health at Work - Calm for Business
Honest conversations about mental health play a big role in mental health awareness and support. Here’s how you can empower your employees to share.
Why Emotionally Intelligent People Embrace the Rule of “Clocking Out” - Inc.com
The rule of clocking out will help you set priorities, avoid burnout, and find more time in your day.
Wine glasses are getting smaller. But will anything actually make us drink less? - The Guardian UK
The deterrent of more trips to the fridge is no match for a powerful thirst. Perhaps it’s time to take a leaf out of Liz Hurley’s book, writes Zoe Williams.
‘Am I an alcoholic?’: the blurred line between a daily drink and a drinking problem - The Guardian AUS
There is help available for those worried about their alcohol use, but detox isn’t the end of the story, writes Xavier Mulenga.
Meet the Community:
Here we meet some of the talented folks who make our profession so dynamic.
Julie Milroy, VP On Premise, Beam Suntory (Miami, FL, USA)
Years in the Industry:
I have been in the beverage alcohol industry for over 15 years, and my family owned restaurants when I was growing up. I started my wine career when Dominique Nocerino of Vinifera Imports gave me a chance, and I moved to Miami. The role required fluency in the Italian language and expertise in Italian wine. I told Dominque that I had neither, but I know how to sell and can learn anything. He told me that he can’t teach me how to sell, but he can definitely teach me about wine. And that was my golden opportunity into this incredible industry.
One of my customers, Aniece Meinhold, referred me to SGWS 12 years ago and I started my first role as an On Premise Wine Consultant, calling on the top restaurants and hotels in Miami Beach and surrounding areas. I then moved into Wine & Spirits Territory Management, then a leadership role where I founded our first state-wide sales development program called DREAM. Following a merger of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, I became Regional Marketing Director of Fine Wine & Top 7 Spirit Suppliers. I am currently in a national role in on premise sales and marketing for the Beam Suntory Portfolio.
My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:
My number one culprit is FOMOO, Fear of Missing Out on Opportunities! I have so much enthusiasm for things that I am passionate about that I have a hard time letting opportunities slip by. This causes me to burn out either physically by getting sick or injuring myself, or else full on mental shut down. It’s not a good feeling and I’ve tried to recognize the signs early on. They involve stress, grinding teeth, thinking in the middle of the night and losing my patience.
My second biggest culprit is Food & Water and lack of! I am so bad with drinking water and I’m not a breakfast person. I will drink coffee with full cream through lunch. Then I’ll skip lunch because I’m too busy working, which causes me to binge on chips until dinner time.
Lastly, I have a hard time saying No. Not because I’m worried about hurting people’s feelings or letting them down, but because I genuinely want to do everything! I have a lot of energy and a knack for multitasking and efficiency, which allows me to produce a lot. This has gotten the best of me many times, and it’s another time when I needed to recognize the signs early on.
How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
My number one is to connect with my body and spirit, through aromatherapy, restorative yoga, acupressure, spinal therapy, a spa day.
Nature and the outdoors. I listen to podcasts while I run, or I walk and reflect, or sit outside and watch the birds.
Read! Paper books, historical timepieces, women’s journeys, the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley.
What Inspires Me:
I’m inspired by different perspectives and experiences, and I am inspired by my passion. Also, challenges inspire me because I am a master problem solver. I will find and use every tool in the toolbox. Usually I find the right one by the third attempt!
A Quote I Love:
“You have to teach people how to treat you, rather than expecting them to know.” Viola Kaye Smith, the first Black woman in a leadership role in flight manifest, coordinating with pilots. Also my best friends’ mom.
You can listen to the ServedUp podcast here.
