Face it. Summer is tough if you have a business, kids, vacations, travel, basically…a life.
Summer shouldn’t be all about work. Remember when we used to have “the lazy days of summer”? The summer is often the only meaningful time off you can take with your entire family. But most people can’t stop their business for a whole three months. 
Mid-Summer Reset
Maybe in May you created an awesome plan and schedule for the summer. You were really prepared. But as the summer has gone by…your “perfect” schedule hasn’t worked out quite like you thought. Or maybe you never even got a chance to make a summer schedule what with all the crazy activities at the end of the school year.
If you are floundering a little trying to balance everything this summer, here are some tips to help take a mid-summer reset and get back on track.
1) Give yourself a break – Without the typical school-year routine summer can be a little rocky. Things always seem to crop up, fall through…things that foul up even the best laid plans. You need a little respite as well. Plan to work a little less each week. That way you won’t always feel like you’re scrambling if things go wrong. Give yourself permission to work a little less.
2) Review your plans for the 1st month and see where you went off the tracks – Schedule took many 1:1 clients? Too many Facebook Lives with little “friends” interrupting? Readjust expectations and cut back on the number of tasks/day. In 2 weeks, you can reevaluate. You must work on creating a schedule that works for you and allow you to feel good and accomplish things that can start a little momentum to keep things rolling for your business throughout the summer.
3) Back to Basics – When I feel like I’m not accomplishing things, I go back to square one – laser focus. Set your one main task for the day (or for the morning). I then use the Pomodoro Technique. 25 minutes of focusing on one task – and then a five minute break. Then when you start checking off the most important task of the day – you start to feel good about yourself and your business. You will start making progress and get back on track.
4) Schedule fun times with your kids – Did you love summer break when you were a kid? Did you have something to do everyday? (Most likely not.) Look, it’s summer. Everyone wants to have fun. Include some time in your plans to do some special summer activities with your kids. They don’t want to stay couped up at home – at will often act up more if there is no end in sight. Give them something to look forward too – and they may be more willing to give you a 25 minute block of silence. Kids are after all just being kids.
5) Pay Up – If you haven’t read my previous blog post “How to Survive the Summer Working From Home” I provide a lot of suggestions for getting through the summer. But at one month in – you may need to level up. There are some options.
- Hire a babysitter – maybe you can even “share” a babysitter with another mom – especially if they’re just going to the pool or a one-day camp.
- Even a “mother’s helper” who can supervise your kids while they’re running through the sprinkler while you work in the office. Even this can make a difference.
- Or you may need to try and change up your schedule – get up early or stay up late.
- This is the time to “call in all your favors.” Remember when you took Johnny to soccer for a week while they were gone? Ask if that mom could take your son for a playdate.
- Long lost Aunt?
- College student?
- Mom exchanges? Maybe another mother needs to schedule some appointments. Offer to take her kids if she would take yours on a specific day. And then plan every minute of the time you have!
Brainstorm all possible avenues!
I know that some of these ideas cost money – but will you recoup it by being able to work? By meeting with clients? How much is your sanity worth? Do the numbers – if you’re able to work more – is a little money for a babysitter worth it?
There are always tradeoffs. A “mother’s helper” probably wouldn’t cost too much – but it may not give you as big a block of time. A babysitter will cost more but they may be able to take the kids way – or allow you to go away.
You don’t necessarily need someone all day. Figure out the minimum items you need to accomplish each day, schedule in a block – and find a solution for that time frame.
Regroup
It may take a little time and thought – but now is the time to take action. Take a day to evaluate your business this summer – and create your own mid-summer reset. Try one or two ideas – and see if that makes a difference.
It is summer after all…
Summer is often the least productive time for business. But summer should also be fun. The years go by fast. I only have a couple of summers left with my kids. Enjoy them while you can….one day you will wish you had these days back again.
Join me for my Mid-Summer Reset Webinar on Wednesday, July 11th at 12:00pm ET.
We’ll refresh our plan for the rest of the summer!
Looking for a little individual help to get back on track? Head over to secondactmoms.com/work-with-me
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