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Can you enjoy sipping cool lemonade on your back porch *and* grow your career or business this summer? Absolutely! Here are 3 seeds to plant for meaning, purpose, and inspiration at work.
If someone comes to your house this time of year, are they likely to find you in the garden? We are beginning to enjoy some of the early vegetables from ours. I always anxiously await that first ripe tomato, fresh off the vine. Little compares to that naturally sweet treat!
While the hot summer sun often encourages a slower pace, don't assume your career or business must lie dormant for the next three months. Last July - the month typically known for vacations - proved the most fruitful of the year for several of my clients! They approached the month with purpose and intention and yielded terrific results - while also having plenty of time to sip lemonade on the back porch.
Regardless of the seasonal cycles of your line of work, summer is an ideal time to grow your career. Here are three ways to plant the seeds for meaning, purpose, and inspiration:
1. Watch TED Talks.
The best ideas from some of the best minds in less than 20 minutes! I often flip these on while making dinner, folding laundry, or when I arrive early to a meeting. Visit www.TED.com and search topics or thought leaders of interest. A few of my favorites: Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe by Simon Sinek, The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain, The Happy Secret To Better Work by Shawn Achor, and a recent find, How To Fix A Broken School by Linda Cliatt-Wayman.
2. Read books.
Many of my friends and colleagues like nothing better than lounging on a summer day with a powerful, thought-provoking book (or, periodically, a don't-make-me-think one). Although asking me my favorite book will leave me flustered for days ;-), three have truly helped shape me and my business. You can read about them in my recent article for the Des Moines Business Record ( click here ).
3. Plan your growth.
Just like a well-cared-for garden will likely produce more than one that's left to its own devices, an intentional career will flourish more quickly and seamlessly as well. Start by prioritizing your day and blocking time for that which matters most. If you want help with this (as well as access to the signature planning / tracking tools I have used for years), join us for our upcoming session, Run Your Day (So It Doesn't Run You!). Click here for details and to enroll.
And I wasn't kidding about that time on the back porch with a frosty lemonade. While the "lazy, hazy days of summer" might seem an enigma, you definitely need some downtime to replenish and refresh. Plant your seeds for growth, nurture as needed, and prepare to reap a bountiful harvest!
To your meaningful career and purposeful life!