Best Summer Ever!
We all know that taking breaks is essential for our health, wellbeing, and performance. Memorial Day weekend is upon us, so the unofficial start to summer is here. And with a new appreciation for the freedom we have and for the privilege of being vaccinated, I've been asking myself and my clients how could we make this the best summer ever?
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Schedule It. I'm a little obsessed with time blocking. This basically means that everything important for work and my personal life is scheduled in my calendar - ask my partner Ted who gets meeting invites for date night! So look at your calendar for the summer and start to layer in all the things you want to do; outdoor concerts, boat rides with friends, trips to the beach, drive-in movies, a summer solstice party, etc. Start scheduling now to ensure it will happen.
Create Summer Fridays. When I worked in marketing in Chicago and had lots of interaction with some big ad agencies, I was surprised to learn that they had something called Summer Fridays, which were basically half days on Fridays all summer long. I thought it was brilliant. Ask yourself, could you find ways to build Summer Fridays into your calendar by spreading out a few vacation days to take half days on Fridays? Or ask your manager to give out a few Summer Fridays to the whole team? And if you manage people, give them a few half days this summer and see the scores on your 360 reviews soar! I also challenge any of the business owners reading this to do the same. Yes, time is money, but summer is priceless.
Review Your Bucket List. Certain things only happen in summer; The Arena Opera Festival in Verona, The Boston Pops July 4th Fireworks Concert, The Perseids Meteor Shower. Ask yourself, if this was your last summer on earth, what’s the one thing you’d be sure to do? Then make it happen. And if it's too soon to travel for you, get a jump start on planning for summer 2022.
Pull Back On The Pace: I talk a lot about goals, commitment, and consistency. But I also know that an intense pace is not sustainable long-term and that life is a marathon, not a sprint. So consider pulling back on the pace of your work during the summer. Ideas you could consider include:
Post less frequently or hit pause altogether on social media, blogs, and video work.
Delay the kick-off of new initiatives and new client work until fall.
Postpone major meetings - virtual or otherwise.
Life’s short and summer is shorter. Here’s to your best summer ever!