Tips to Maintain Work-Life Balance Through the Summer Months

The nice weather is finally here! It’s around this time of the year that our thoughts turn to beaches, hiking trails, or lakeshores — anywhere but being at work. 

But we all still have responsibilities to tend to in our professional lives. Work doesn’t care if it’s the perfect beach day! Clients still need their projects completed, and managers still need people to show up and do their jobs. 

Is it possible to maintain a good work-life balance when the great outdoors is calling? Yes! 

Here’s how. 

  • Eat lunch outside.

    If your workplace has any kind of outdoor area — a picnic table, some shady trees on the grass, even a sidewalk where you can sit down away from traffic — take advantage of it. Spending just a few minutes outside can help boost your mood. The fresh air can help revitalize your day, and you’ll feel like you were able to enjoy at least some sunshine before spending the rest of your day inside. 

  • Try to adjust your schedule.

    Some offices allow for some flexibility in scheduling during the summer, especially if business slows down at all. Ask your manager if you could work four 10-hour days to have Friday off. Or see if you could work a little over every day to be able to leave early on a Friday afternoon.        

  • Suggest meetings outside if possible.

    If you’re meeting with a client or customer, or even having an internal meeting, suggest you take it out into the nice weather. It’ll give everyone a chance to stretch their legs a little and get some fresh air and can help everyone relax too. This might not work as well if you have to give a presentation and need screens, but if it’s just talking over logistics, taking it outside could be a well-received idea. 

  • Use your time.

    If you have vacation time, take it! Work with your team to schedule time off in a way that’s fair to everyone. And when you’re on vacation or out of the office, whether it’s for an afternoon, a long weekend, or a full week, turn off your phone, don’t check email, don’t be tempted to check in. Ignore work altogether unless it’s a specific emergency. You deserve the chance to relax and unwind — especially this year. Take advantage of time off and do just that, so you can come back to work refreshed and ready to go. You might even come back with great ideas to kick off a really successful fall! 

We did not appreciate our summer vacations enough as kids. As adults, we can’t close our books and disappear into the sprinklers for three months — we have to be responsible. But there are ways of getting a little bit of that childhood fun back into your life without sacrificing your work. 

If you come back from vacation and decide your job isn’t right for you or that it’s time for a change, contact Debbie’s Staffing. We work with some of the top companies in the country, and they’re all looking for talented, skilled employees just like you! Contact Debbie’s Staffing today, and let’s start looking for your new opportunity. 

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