As we head into the summer months, you might find the rhythm of the workday shifting. For many business owners, the pace slows down as team members, suppliers, and clients take vacations. For others, it’s the busiest stretch of the year, full of long days and nonstop action.
As a parent, I know that summer is the best opportunity to create family memories. It’s the setting for many of the stories we’ll be telling for years. But as a business owner, I also know I can’t take my foot off the gas without losing valuable momentum. Doing both well means finding the right balance.
Whatever the summer season looks like for you, here are four ways to make the most of it.
1. Manage your focus time
What days or times do you find it easiest to do deep, focused work?
Maybe it’s first thing in the morning. Maybe it’s Tuesday afternoons. Whatever it is, treat those hours like gold. Protect them fiercely and use them for your most important tasks. It would be a shame to waste them filtering through your inbox, scrolling, or multi-tasking your way through a pile of low-value to dos.
If you assume you’ve got just a few deeply productive hours per week, you’ll make better decisions about how to use them.
2. Use the 80/20 rule
What key activities or behaviours are driving your results? The Pareto Principle tells us that 20% of our work accounts for 80% of our results – so focus on nailing the 20%, and let go of the busywork.
Do a bit of mental time travel and imagine yourself sitting down at work on Monday, September 15. What have you done over the summer that has worked well? Where have you outpaced your competitors? And what, looking back, could you have spent less time on?
3. Map it out
Summer may be spontaneous and unpredictable, but even when life doesn’t go according to plan, you’ll be further ahead with a roadmap than if you try to wing it.
Look ahead and map out the summer, week-by-week. When will you or your team members be away? What deadlines will need extra runway?
Then every week, make a point to check and update your plan with your top priorities. Adaptability is key – that means spending 5 minutes every day getting clear on what is the most important thing to tackle next so you can stay on track.
4. Take your thinking time outside
Too many entrepreneurs have an unreasonable urge to strap themselves to their desk - even when little is getting done.
Sunny summer days can serve as a great reminder that it’s ok to say no to other people’s priorities and create space for creative thought. Go for a walk, hit the golf course… wherever you do your best thinking.
Resting and recharging aren’t a detour away from your success story, they’re part of it.
This Week’s Takeaway
Summer is an opportunity to rest, recharge, and make memories.
As an entrepreneur, that doesn’t mean losing focus. It means you have to be even more selective about where to spend your time, energy, and money. Choose wisely, and come back in the fall clear-headed, well-rested, and ready to finish the year strong.
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