KANSAS CITY, MO— It’s February, but my New Year’s resolution is still a work in progress.
Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.
KANSAS CITY, MO— It’s February, but my New Year’s resolution is still a work in progress.
I’ve made some strides by eating better and keeping my cookie intake at a reasonable level, and I’ve signed up for my first half-marathon since before the pandemic. But the “get more sleep” part needs a little work. Let me put it this way: If this were the ’80s, the National Anthem would be fading to snow on my TV as I write this.
Some people think, “Self-care is for softies.” But consider this advice a friend once gave me: You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Yes, there’s work to be done and companies to run. The best leaders put their teams first, but if we don’t take care of ourselves, we’ll eventually have nothing left to give.
It’s been a rough couple of years, and while we’re all ready for a reset, we’re not out of the woods just yet. We’ve got to be all-in on finding innovative solutions to the ongoing challenges and prepare for the new ones coming our way. Doing that requires a full cup. Innovation comes from critical thinking, and that demands clarity.
Resolutions don’t usually make it past January, but I hope you will consider joining me in a commitment to take better care of ourselves so we can give the best of what we have to offer to our companies, our teams and the industry in 2023.
This story has been adapted from the February | Q1 2023 issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.