Kevin Prust has the right idea when it comes to New Yearfs resolutions: gFirst, to spend more time with my family (a repeat from 2006, which I did not accomplish to the level I had planned),h says the managing director of RSM McGladrey Inc., gand secondly to minimize the interaction and involvement with the presidential political process so that I do not get burned out and frustrated with the process.h

Thatfs a nice mix: do some good things and ease up on some things that will just make you crazy.

We persuaded some other Central Iowa business leaders to share their resolutions, too:

Bruce Kelley, president and CEO of EMC Insurance Group Inc.: gTo continue to learn by reading the book eThe One Thing You Need to Knowf by Marcus Buckingham.h Consider how well EMC has been doing, and you might find yourself heading for the bookstore yourself.

Nora Everett, senior vice president and deputy general counsel for Principal Financial Group Inc.: gMy 2007 New Yearfs resolution is to laugh more and stress less.h

Carolyn Helmlinger, president of Coldwell Banker Mid-America Group: g1. To exercise (Pilates; I was exercising, but it fell by the wayside when I got too busy).

g2. To continue the aggressive growth of this company.

g3. To create an environment conducive for our agents/employees to reach their full potential.h

Helmlingerfs last point brings us to Todd McDonald, president of ATW Training & Consulting Inc. in Urbandale, who wrote a book titled gI Wish You Would Justh and conducts surveys and seminars using that phrase. The idea here is that knowing what your boss or your employees think you should do differently might just lead to New Yearfs resolutions that have some positive results.

Here are some samples of employee responses McDonald has seen over the years:

I wish my manager would just c

œ Keep me informed of major issues, changes, initiatives occurring throughout the organization.

œ Trust his employees. He involves multiple people on the same project without telling them. Energies are scattered and therefs almost guaranteed miscommunication and people running into each other.

œ Check out all the facts before she tells us how to do something so she doesn’t have to change it again a couple of weeks later.

And here are some of the comments managers have made:

I wish my employees would just c

œ Show initiative when they have free time.

œ Apply their minds (creative, intellect, reasoning abilities, etc.) to their duties and responsibilities.

œ Come to me directly with concerns and comments.

ATW is working with Wells Fargo & Co. right now on a survey, and in the past has been involved with other local companies, including Dice.

gThe idea is that if youfre trying to improve service, you have to understand that your employees are really your customers, and you have to understand what they need from you,h McDonald said. gA great New Yearfs resolution for leaders is to spend time talking with employees about what they need and make a resolution to meet those needs.h

As for Helmlingerfs exercise resolution, the topic of health and fitness probably ranks as the No. 1 New Yearfs resolution in the United States every January. Which means itfs the No. 1 source of failure and frustration by the end of the month.

So herefs some advice from two associate professors from Iowa State University’s department of health and human performance, as provided in a press release:

1. Educate yourself. gAlthough knowing the health benefits of physical activity is not by itself a sufficient motivator for most people, it can be important if it is combined with other factors,h said associate professor Panteleimon gPaddyh Ekkekakis, who has published research papers on exercise involving overweight individuals. gIf one reads and understands that sedentary people have more than twice the risk of most debilitating and deadly chronic diseases and realizes that it is not necessary for the activity to be strenuous or exhausting, it is possible that one might at least start to think about making a lifestyle change.h

2. Seek advice and reassurance from authoritative sources. gBring up the issue with your physician,h Ekkekakis said. gAsk to make sure that you are in good enough health to exercise safely, but also ask about the benefits that physical activity might bring.h

3. Choose to live in an area that provides opportunities for physical activity.

4. Shop around. Warren Franke, director of ISUfs Exercise Clinic, said, gFind the fitness facility that best fits your needs in terms of price, convenience and services — such as the latest exercise equipment, TVs, social interaction, hours, etc.

5. With the help of a health professional, make a list of the benefits you expect and the sacrifices you think you might have to make. gMost people cannot think beyond weight loss as a benefit,h said Ekkekakis. gThe health professional will help you realize that there is much more to gain than to lose.h

6. Create long-range and short-range goals. gIt’s great to have weight-loss goals, but make sure you have both long-range and short-range goals. You donft want to confuse the two,h said Franke. “You need to realize that it took a while for you to put that weight on, so it’s going to take a while to lose it, too.h

7. Donft set your standards based on others. gDon’t buy into the societal image of whatfs skinny,h Franke said. gPeople lose sight of the fact that if your parents were overweight, you may have a strong disposition to be overweight. Have your own internal standards rather than basing them on the cover of a magazine. And keep a workout log to see how you’re doing. If itfs in writing, you may realize why youfre not meeting your goals.h

8. Ease into it — no pain is simply no pain. gIt doesnft have to hurt. You want to get in better shape, not die of a heart attack,h said Franke. gExercise in the beginning can be a challenge. Therefore, do not try to start with high-intensity activities like running or step aerobics,h said Ekkekakis. gRemember that if you learn to associate physical activity with pain, displeasure or discomfort, it is unlikely that you will want to continue doing it. If a particular activity produces pain or discomfort, seek alternatives — such as non-weight-bearing activities, like stationary cycling or swimming.h

9. Seek social support and surround yourself with positive and inspiring role models. gPeople who are constantly surrounded by images of sedentary or unhealthy living tend to emulate this lifestyle,h said Ekkekakis. gUnfortunately, this lifestyle has now become the norm. So, one needs to actively seek alternative social norms, people who understand and appreciate the importance of health.h

10. Beat boredom by cross-training. gPlay on different toys,h said Franke. gRecognize that you donft have to do one 30-minute session on the same machine. Maybe you can do three 10-minute activities on different machines for the same effect. Your heart really doesnft care.h