A Summer of (fun) Work in 3 Easy Steps

Everyone wants to work less and play more. Summer, in particular, is the perfect opportunity to refocus your prioritizes. Below are three steps to ensure that you have a fun, less stressful summer.

It’s nearly here. We can see it in the trees as they are beginning to blossom. We can smell it in the air. And, we’re itching to get outside more and release ourselves from a self-imposed winter lockdown.

Kids are graduating, school bus traffic will slow to a crawl and families will have more time together.

Work doesn’t care. For most of us, work runs 12 months a year. Work wants us to, well, it wants us to work. It can cramp summer plans, get us up early and keep us from lighting up the barbecue before 6-7pm. What are we supposed to do? We’ve loved summer since we were young; the memories, the freedom and now the work!

I’ve shared this with thousands of folks and want to share with you. Here is want you can do to make your summers less stressed, less busy and more fun.

1) Work it, baby!   If you work away from your home, begin to plant seeds today. Speak to management about one day per week remote work. Prove that you’re productive and it may turn into two days etc.!   Get rid of the clutter. The papers on your desk. The emails you don’t need. The crap that has accumulated around “your space” needs to go. Summer is more chill, thus clearing clutter and making space is easier because there can be less demands on your time and fewer folks around.

2) Plan time off where you do nothing, nada, zippo!   No trips. No chores. No shuttling kids and running 88 errands. This time is for YOU. 1-3 days is usually sufficient. They key is doing what has become difficult for many of us. Refocusing on ourselves. Giving permission to be self-centered-self-focused.   The benefits are that we recharge. We refocus. We remain detached from work for 24-72 hours. This is a good thing because our focus, productivity and skills need a break to remain sharp. We’ve been working hard. It’s time to chill. It’s time to reconnect with yourself and others.

3) Where do I want to be?

Someone once said that “a job is what we do. It isn’t who we are.”              
Take time this summer to reassess your job. Are you where you want to be? Are you hanging in there but hating every day? Do you want to punch someone?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then now is a good time to plan for the future you. Remember, less people around the office. You have more time to plan. You’ll take a few days for yourself which is a great time to focus on you.

Most of all, summer is a fun time. Work is work. Connecting the two will be beneficial to yourself today as well as future you and is essential. Don’t wait. Don’t hate every day. And, don’t punch anyone!

Instead, let’s focus on you. You’ve earned it. You need it. You rock!