The Dog Days of Summer
The last two days have been the most beautiful of the summer…mid 70’s and no humidity. It sure beats those days in the 90’s. As summer is winding down and we are returning from our vacations, many of us may be looking at how we are going to handle all our activities between now and the end of the year. I want to share an idea about how to plan your days so you can continue to be refreshed.
I start out my year planning all my free time in advance. I call these my Perfect Days and these are special days when I am not focused on anything to do with work. I do not clean the house, run errands or even read emails on these days. These are blocks of time when I rejuvenate myself. Instead of waiting until I am burned out and need to get away, I try to stay rejuvenated all the time and take breaks periodically so I don’t get burned out! Isn’t this a better way to live with joy! I find the key is defining a Perfect Day and scheduling enough of them to stay rejuvenated.
What is a Perfect Day? The name itself should give you an idea of what I am leading to. Take a moment to think about what a Perfect Day would look like. What makes you feel alive and gets your juices flowing? Think back to your most wonderful experience…when you were feeling total freedom and in a state of joy. What were you doing…where were you? For some, this could be simply staying home, with their favorite beverage, sitting alone or with a friend or even a good book. Or for others, it may be finding yourself surrounded by excitement at a huge party with tons of people you don’t know…wearing a costume…dancing to loud music into the night. Take some time to discover what your Perfect Day looks like and then block out time in your calendar right now to the end of the year giving yourself enough Perfect Days to stay healthy, happy and rejuvenated.
Besides taking a lot of time off, it’s also important for planning plenty of time for organizing, managing and delegating (Prep Days) so I can also be prepared for very profitable Power Days when you are focused on your unique abilities and talents.
I will talk more about these other two days in our next issues. In the meantime. Enjoy the dog days of summer and savor every last moment!
