I’m currently in Calgary attending the Advances in Stable Isotope Techniques and Applications (ASITA) meeting. This, like all professional meetings, is a challenge for people who like to work out daily. There just isn’t enough hours in the day, it seems, to attend the various parts of the meeting and get a good workout in.
The benefit of smaller, more intimate, meetings such as ASITA, is that there is often some manner of closing banquet and after party. Tonight there was a live band and plenty of dancing. I loved it, as I always do.
Several good things always come out of this. Things to consider next time you’re at a professional meeting that offers an opportunity to dance with your colleagues after the proceedings:
For one, it can be a lot of fun (if you’re one who enjoys dancing), and it’s a nice, positive way to end a meeting such that you’ll look forward to the following year’s meeting.
If you’re not very socially inclined, it still can be very beneficial (and worthwhile to force yourself to do). A different sort of camaraderie develops when you get out on the dance floor and wiggle with your colleagues. It’s a strange kind of intimacy, but it carries over into your professional relationship with them. You become friends rather than just acquaintances. Your relationship is friendly, not just collegial, which means that the likelihood of being able to solicit help or favors from these people is greatly increased, and they’ll speak highly of you to others (which can be beneficial to you in unexpected ways).
I, personally, actually fall into the category of ‘not socially inclined’ because I have social anxiety. I do, however, force myself to attend these events because I do usually wind up enjoying them and the benefits really do outweigh the risks.
That’s the way anxiety works. Your emotions are lying to you when they tell you that a social situation is more than you can handle. You’ve just got to get out there and do it. You’ll see.
There is a third, unexpected benefit of the dancing, that I never really considered until tonight. As I mentioned above, it really is hard to get a good workout in when you’re at these sorts of meetings. There’s not space in the hotel rooms to do my usual, favorite video workouts, and I don’t typically have time to hit the gym (though sometimes I pull it off).
Tonight’s dance was my first chance to really exercise in the last four days. And I took advantage of it. I think everyone was a little surprised by my stamina, and I tell you what, I needed a shower when I got back tot my room. Not only did I dance and get a good cardio workout from it, I also was able to practice some of my fencing footwork. It was a ton of fun and a good workout. I’ve improved my relationship with my colleagues and feel like I made progress toward my fitness goals. It was good.
So. Next time you’re at a professional meeting and the live band gets started, get out there. Get on the dance floor. Whoop it up a bit. Because it will help your professional relationships and it will improve your physical fitness.
Some highlights of tonight’s dance:
The post-banquet dancing begins. #ASITA2013 twitter.com/paleololigo/st…
— Penny Higgins (@paleololigo) June 5, 2013
Art gives us a little Ice Ice Baby. Geochemists have fun! #ASITA2013 twitter.com/paleololigo/st…
— Penny Higgins (@paleololigo) June 5, 2013
Now, don’t you wish you had been there?
Penny Higgins - Storyteller • Artist • Scientist 
I asked the head trainer at my gym what one piece of exercise gear she’d have if she could have only one. She said a set of exercise bands. You can use them anywhere, they don’t take much space in a suitcase, and they’re incredibly versatile. But they’re not as much fun as dancing.
LikeLike
I asked the head trainer at my gym what piece of exercise gear she’d have if she could have only one. She said exercise bands. They’re light, portable, don’t take up much room in a suitcase, and really versatile. But they’re not as much fun as dancing.
LikeLike