Make the Most of Summer Down Time

Because we do a great deal of work in schools and with students, many of our blog readers have at least some additional free time during the summer months.

Even for those administrators who work year-round, the summer can be a time when schedules are a bit more relax and it’s acceptable to leave work earlier or take a longer than normal lunch.

How might you best use your free time this summer to make things run more smoothly the rest of the year, when life is busier and time for relaxation is tougher to find? Here are some ideas we have gleaned from our own lives, and also from getting to know many of you, our readers.

• Get organized. Summer is an ideal time to organize your files or develop new organizational systems. Getting organized now will lead to less stress when you return to your normal pace and workload.
• Get healthy. Often, we use a lack of time as an excuse for not exercising, cooking healthy food and generally taking care of ourselves the way that we should. Build those habits of exercise and healthy eating now, while your life is a little more predictable, and you are likely to feel better and have more energy. Once you see the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, you are more likely to carry these over into the rest of the year.
• Reconnect. Summer is a good time to get together with family and friends who you often think about but may not have time to see because of geographic or time constraints. Make the time to see people who are important to you. You will never regret this choice!
• Reflect. Sometimes, when we are busy, we find ourselves on autopilot, not really thinking critically about the choices that we make, why we make them, and where we want to go from here. Use some of your extra time this summer to reflect on where you are in life, whether you are happy and fulfilled, and where to go from here.
• Renew. Sometimes, what we need more than anything is rest. Don’t be afraid of taking time this summer to do something fun, such as enjoy a favorite hobby or try something new. Or, it could be that what you really need to do is … nothing. Don’t be afraid of that quiet time. Allow it to help you rest and renew, so you can be the leader you want to be going forward.

How are you spending your summer? How do you think you will benefit from your choices?