Moms, entrepreneurs, grandparents – whatever your role is, we all feel it.
With anticipation, both positive and stress-filled, we wait for that last day of school or the summer work calendar which changes our schedule beginning in June.
The problem is that we often don’t plan for it, and then try to do everything we normally do. We squeeze in time for those additional summer activities. In our business, we think we can be as productive as we are the rest of the year. Not so.
We end up feeling like our time is splintered; there are too many pieces to our pie chart of a summer day schedule.
Solutions follow — Tips for how to change your schedule, expectations and have a calmer summer season.
- Acknowledge the change. How you can shift your expectations and your schedule.
- Block out vacations (and add a day before and after for planning and re-entry.)
- Block out what you know about your children’s schedules (camp, school, activities) or your grand-children’s babysitting schedules.
- Do you take a different job over the summer (teachers and others), what is your work schedule?
- How would you like to use the time left over from all of the above? Hobbies, taking children/grandchildren out, visiting local sights, visiting friends for the day, beach days, museums or other activities you don’t get to the rest of the year. Even if you’re not sure, write down the info on the calendar as a reminder. Or keep an “ideas” list on the refrigerator.
- If your business slows down a bit, think about the possibilities. What planning, reflecting, brainstorming or creating can you do during this time? Or is there something which you find inefficient? Create your new system while you have breathing time.
- What makes you feel good about your day? Block time for yourself, even half an hour a day. A bike ride, time at the gym, reading a book on your own, taking a walk, kayaking. What is rejuvenating?
- What is it that makes you feel like it’s your day, too? Plan in that rejuvenation, self care time and the rest of the day will take care of itself.
- Leave white space or empty time; don’t block your entire day or you’ll barely know what day it is.
- What’s more important to you, going on the garden tour or visiting with a friend? Changing perspectives, can you combine the two ? Can you walk the dog for exercise, instead of needing to walk the dog AND take a bike ride or head to the gym. Think creatively about combining activities and needs. Ask your friends what they do and gain a new perspective.
- Working hours: It may be changing your perspective on what defines your workday. Can you work for a couple of hours at night and free up time during the day for summer family activities?
- Are there different ways to accomplish routine chores? These can be temporary solutions for a different kind of schedule during summer. A different day for grocery shopping? Or asking someone to do it for you? Getting trash pickup to save you time on the weekends? A cleaning service, just for the summer?
By thinking creatively, asking for assistance and shifting your perspective, you could create a summer you’ll never forget — summertime, and the living really IS easy !
Tags: ADD meditation gratitude relaxation, summer vacation, Time, time management, transitions
