Your Road to Wellness: Marsha Archer

Image of Marsha Archer, courtesy of Janet Howard Photography

Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. We all approach it differently. And I think we can all benefit from hearing one another’s stories and strategies. 

The “Your Road to Wellness” feature highlights people from all walks of life and their thoughts on wellness. (Would you like to be featured or know of someone who would be a good fit? Let me know!)

This week, let’s catch up with Marsha Archer, founder of the hospitality public relations agency M-Squared Public Relations.

Q: Who is your wellness inspiration? 

My mom. She suffers from Alzheimers and much of the disease is attributed to lack of sleep. My workout regimen, which begins at 4 a.m., helps ensure I go to bed by 9 p.m. and get a solid night of sleep.

Q: What is one piece of advice you’d give your younger self about wellness? 

Start early and never stop. Being fit and well is something that never gets old — even when our bodies age.  

Q: What do you typically do for exercise? 

I do cardio six days per week and strength training five days per week.

Q: What do you consider your greatest wellness indulgence and why? 

Water. It eliminates my hunger, rejuvenates me, and works wonders on my hair and skin.

Q: What is your greatest self-care/wellness challenge, and how do you deal with it? 

My wellness challenge is remaining excited about working out. I genuinely don’t like it but realize it’s good for me and my health. Having a fun and engaging trainer who is results-oriented is extremely helpful for dealing with this. For self-care, I don’t struggle there! I add my self-care time to my calendar just like I do my work meetings.

Q: What resource (e.g., website, blog, book, etc.) do you look to for wellness/self-care and why? 

I generally follow people on Instagram who inspire me to remain focused and committed to fitness. For example, there’s my personal trainer, Cliff Boyce, entrepreneur Nataki Minix (for her fashion, fitness, and work/life balance), and Melanin Fitspiration (for workout ideas).

Q: Which do you prefer — green juice or bubbly?

Green juice on the daily, but bubbly for the perfect gathering with friends and family.

Q: If you received $1 million to use for your wellness/self-care, how would you spend it? 

I would build a wellness facility in Atlanta that would offer services from gym to hair to nails all under one roof.

P.S. Looking for a personalized approach to your wellness experience? I’ve spent a decade working as a wellness journalist — visiting more than 50 spas from Vail to Vienna — and 20 years in the fitness industry. Let me help you plan your perfect half or full day of wellness…