Winding Up

I noticed that it is darker now when I get up in the morning—signs of fall coming. As we wind up the fun-filled, hectic summer, we settle into a more structured routine. Find time to fit in the things that are important to you as well as those that are necessary. Attend to the part of you that likes to be nurtured by reading, writing, meditating, visiting friends or relatives, and so forth. Only when we have balance in our lives can we achieve our best. Balance is best attained by attending to our physical, mental, and spiritual selves. Incorporate something for each of those areas into every day.

A Little R & R

I am heading to Cape May for a few days of much needed R & R. Hopefully, everyone reading this has built in a few days (or weeks if lucky enough) to get some R & R. Everyone needs to take time to refresh and regenerate in order to avoid “burn out.”

During R & R leave the office responsibilities behind and focus on personal needs. Feed your mind with an exciting book, challenging crossword puzzle, or stimulating CD. Play games, walk, job, or “vege” out for awhile.

R & R is also a good time to re-evaluate and re-set the course if need be. Most of all, take the time to take some time.

Lifelong Learning

As children and adults head back to school, it may be a good time for all of us to evaluate our skills and knowledge. Ask yourself the following:

• What can I do to improve my skills?
• Is there new technology I can learn that will help me on my job?
• How can I learn more about the developments in my field?
• Will gaining more knowledge in my field or an additional skill help me receive a promotion?
• Where can I take a class or seminar to improve my skills?
• Will getting a degree or certification help me in my field?

In this age of technology and information, everyone can benefit from additional learning. It is a fact—learning is lifelong.

August Reaping

As summer winds down, it’s time to reap what has been sown for the season. Think of what you have been reaping with your goals, plans, ideas, and daily activities. Have they been moving you closer to your hopes, dreams, and aspirations?

Now is the time to take a look at your harvest and separate the good from the bad. Keep what is working and amend or get rid of what isn’t with an eye always on that future goal/dream.

As Summer Winds Down

As we move into August, it is a good time to look over our summer to-do lists and determine what we have completed.

• Are the summer maintenance projects completed?
• Did we “spruce up” the house and yard?
• Did we get to all the fun places we wanted to explore--the zoo, an amusement park, hiking trails, swimming pools--and do all the things we intended?
• Have we made memories that will last through winter and another year? If not, there is still time to do that and more.

Don’t let the great weather slip by without taking advantage of the splendor it has to offer.

It is also a good time to review those goals we have set and make sure we are on track for the rest of the year.

Keep the Professional in Summer

We have been doing lots of things to have fun this summer, but in the world of work, don’t forget to keep the professionalism alive. Nothing says, “sitting back and goofing off,” like inappropriate dress, language, and work habits. Here are tips to keep the professionalism in your job:

• Read a good book, such as The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. It’s an oldie, but goody.
• Dive into a dreaded project as if it were a swimming pool. You can always set a timer for small increments of time (10-15 minutes) so the project does not look daunting. Breaking big projects into smaller parts keeps them from becoming overwhelming.
• Set a routine and do frequent tasks on a specific schedule. For instance, handle phone calls between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. or read the mail between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Another suggestion is to do certain tasks on specific days of the week.
• Look for new, creative ways to do your job in order to change your perspective. Rearrange or redecorate your office so it reflects summer’s sunny disposition.
• Smile and have fun!

DEVELOP A PLAN

This week’s blog continues with goals. If you haven’t yet written down your goals, think about the benefits of doing so and write at least one goal. If you do have goals written, pull them out and develop a solid plan of action to attain the goals.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What am I willing to do to attain this goal?
• What am I willing to give up to attain this goal? (i.e., time? money?)
• Do I have the ability and means to attain this goal?
• If I do not have the ability or means to attain this goal, can I obtain the ability or means?
• Is this goal a high priority for me?
• Are there steps today I can take toward accomplishing this goal?
• Do I take steps everyday to reach my goal?
• Is what I am doing now bringing me closer to my goal?
• What steps can I take to reach my goal?
• How will I organize the steps I need to take to reach my goal?

When you make goals your priority and focus on attaining them, you may be surprised how quickly they come to fruition. Why wait? Take action today.

Carol