Embracing Summer Joy: Balancing your Executive Role and the Temptation to Play Hooky

Let’s be honest, you love your job – the pace, the work, the people, the industry, the constant learning, the leading, the “being in the know”. But there are moments when the demands of your job know no bounds, nor do they know a season. For some, summer means long weekends at the shore or the lake, visiting with extended family, soaking in the long-anticipated sunshine. For you it means something very different:  Annual Business Planning, National Sales Meetings, Customer Top to Top Meetings, Fiscal Year End, Earnings Reports.  The list goes on and on with no sign of multiple applications of sunscreen required or freely bike riding anywhere to be found.

This brings us to a younger version of you.

Do you remember her?

Short shorts, cute top, sunglasses on, ready for the beach with her bestie in tow?  Running out of the house, “see you later mom!” Not a care in the world. 

How do we access just a little bit of her and all that JOY?

The answer? Freedom.  

Remember that you have freedom and choices.  You are not nearly as stuck as you believe, nor are you as important as you make up (trust me, I learned this one oh too well myself!).  So, in order to make the most of summer splashing, time with those you love most, BBQs, beaches, and long walks, here are my tips for you.  

1. Prioritize and Delegate:

Summer is not the season for any big initiatives, large scale projects or huge undertakings, if you can help it.  Not only for the sake of your own sanity, but that of the entire organization.  Everyone wants to enjoy this season, squeezing every drop of sunshine and daylight and juicy watermelon out of each day. Focus on the priorities.  What will move the business forward in the most meaningful way? Delegate tasks that can be handled by capable team members, providing them with clear direction and empowering them to take ownership.  By effectively managing your workload, you can create space for personal time during the summer.  Such joy!

2. Plan and Communicate:

Plan the summer.  Know what you are doing by month, by week.  Be clear on the big chunks of work that will take your time and attention.  Map out the tasks, deadlines and key milestones.  Communicate this with appropriate team members.  Over communicate it.  Publish and re-publish.  Plan your vacation time.  Block it, hold it sacred, guard it with every ounce of goodness that it promises to restore to you.  Communicate it, let it be known that you will be unavailable.  If something pressing comes up during that time, be sure to have somebody fully capable to represent you and the position you would take.

3. Embrace Flexibility

Summer often brings a more relaxed work environment.  Embrace flexibility, find new ways to infuse fun into your work culture, and be the manager who sets a winning example.  This reminds me so much of my friend Dave Dickey.  He was always one for fun and games while constantly crushing his business goals.  Let’s all be more like Dave.

4. Make the Most of Downtime:

It’s finally here.  A week of V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N!  Or maybe you’re squeezing in a long weekend.  Perhaps it’s going to be mini-vacations throughout the summer.  Whatever it is, make the most of it.  Be intentional about how you spend your time and who you spend it with, engaging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.  Whether you plan to do the beach, some hobbies, or a road trip, be sure to disconnect from work and fully immerse yourself in the present moment.  The people you are with deserve to have all of you.  This will recharge your energy and rejuvenate your spirit, allowing you to perform at your best when back at work. 

5. Get Rid of the Trash Talk:

What are those lies you keep telling yourself? That internal dialogue that plays on loop reminding you to go, be, do, more, more, more.  There are people counting on you, people at home, people at work.  The responsibility feels daunting.  Often, self-doubt and negative self-talk can overshadow the moments of relaxation and enjoyment.  Take time to recognize and challenge any limiting beliefs or negative thoughts as they arise.  Simple affirmations can help with this.  I know you know them, but are you actually practicing them? 

Finding balance between a job you love and all of the juicy temptations of summer is definitely challenging, but hardly impossible.  By prioritizing, delegating, communicating, embracing flexibility, making the most of your downtime, and getting rid of that trash talk you are going to have your corner office and that ice cream on the boardwalk.  You can do this…with joy! Leave any issues behind and pack that bag like your younger self and walk out the door with today’s version of your besties.  I promise, your grown-up you will thank you!

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READY TO BECOME A JOYFUL EXECUTIVE? Let’s see if my 3-hour Saturday Session can help you unlock a troubling situation (problematic boss, marriage or child; situation that is keeping you up at night, or worse…something that has you crying yourself to sleep).  In a 15-minute consult, we will see if we can unlock some relief for you in this power packed session and give you a 30-day plan to keep you on track!  BOOK HERE for your free consult call.

Lori Pine, The Joy CEO

Lori Pine is an award winning Corporate Vice-President, team leader, and goal-getter who has worked with global powerhouse brands like Anheuser-Busch, The Coca-Cola Company and Campbell’s Soup Company.  Now a Certified Executive Leadership Coach, Lori helps women executives  establish healthy organizational practices with the goal of creating thriving professional and personal lives. Lori learned first hand the pressures of being a woman on the rise and all that comes with making it to the corner office.  Her friends and clients call her the trusted clarifier because she can see a problem clearly and identify a pathway with compassion and action steps.  When she’s not helping fabulous women find more joy, Lori is traveling the world, reading books, or soaking in her family and friends.  She lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley of NY with her husband, her 2 sons, and her 2 Golden Retrievers, Lucy and Annie.