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CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
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Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
This is the next profile in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
WE NEED YOUR IDEAS!
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Megan Jameson, St. Edward's University Associate AD for Marketing and Communications, at
mhardin@stedwards.edu.
Danielle Percival: 'Working out has given me structure and helps keep me sane.'
Piedmont University, Assistant Athletic Director of Communications
by Denise Thompson – University of Delaware, Associate AD, Communications & Creative Services
CoSIDA Goodwill and Wellness Committee Member
Danielle Percival is in her eighth season at Piedmont University, where she currently oversees the Athletic Communications Office. Dedicated to giving back any way she can, Percival is also a member of the CoSIDA Executive Board and Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Prioritizing and multitasking her way through each day, Percival has been able to come up with a routine that helps her balance her work-life schedule. Passionate about athletic communications, making a difference, and working out, Percival is happy to share her fitness journey and what has worked for her. One of Danielle’s fitness goals was to complete a half marathon, which she did on October 25!
Percival completed her first half marathon on October 24, 2021.
How has working out helped you in your daily life?
Working out has given me structure and routine that helps keep me sane. I thrive with routine and as you know in athletics, that can be rare with ever-changing schedules, but controlling this area helps me start the day well.
Is there a new routine/exercise that you’ve implemented that has worked well for you?
I opted to start doing at-home workouts in March of 2020 when I suddenly had the time, and for me, it’s been a game-changer. I’m part of a virtual workout community including some other SIDs and former SIDs and the accountability we have to one another keeps us all motivated and moving forward.
Percival with her dog Duke
Why is it important to maintain a healthy mental and physical lifestyle in this business?
Being healthy in all aspects is crucial no matter what profession you’re in, but with the stress and pressure in our field, I believe it is hands down the most important thing you can prioritize. You can’t be your best in the workplace if you aren’t giving yourself the chance to be the best version of you and that means taking care of yourself. For me, I start the day with a workout and it clears my mind to tackle the day ahead. I never thought I would be someone who would go for a run for stress relief, but having recently been training for a half-marathon, I’ve found it to be another outlet to help with my mental and physical health.
What would you say to any that is struggling to find a workout routine that works for them?
Movement is movement. Get out for a walk, go throw a ball for your dog at the dog park, just get going and you’ll be surprised how that momentum can propel you. You don’t have to be a marathon runner, or run at all. You don’t have to go to the gym. Just move how you can and in a way that makes you excited to do it. If you dread it, you won’t prioritize it, so make it fun!
What do you listen to while working out?
I’m an avid reader and for my long runs now I’ve been listening to audio books because it stimulates my mind to paint the picture of the action in the story while distracting me from hours of running. I love podcasts as well including Office Ladies, My Favorite Murder and Crime Junkie.
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