Summertime Planning for Q4—Finishing the Year Strong

Since grade school, summer is a time of year to relax, go on vacation, clear your mind, and dream. For entrepreneurs and professionals alike, taking the time to benefit from the lax atmosphere during the summer months is monumental in career planning and finishing the year on a positive note.

How often do you write down your goals? Journaling isn’t just for pre-teens with a celebrity crush—it can be an important part of your daily routine depending on the effort you put forth. Every morning before tackling my never-ending to-do list, I make it a point to enjoy a cup of coffee, sit down, and write about my day, what I want to accomplish, and how this will achieve the bigger picture, which leads me to my next point.

What is the bigger picture? Is there a specific goal you’re working towards? It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind throughout the year of waking up, going to work, going home, eating dinner, and repeating the same process every day Monday through Friday. We sometimes forget to think about why we work this hard. Think about where you planned to be at the end of the year and make necessary changes to ensure you’re on the right track for a strong fourth quarter.

Before winter strikes again, enjoy some fun in the sun! Summer is a festive season, and taking a break can help clear your mind of a lot of work-related stress. This is something many professionals forget to do. Balancing life and work is the key to maintaining mental stability on the job and at home.

At the midpoint of the year, we have enough to reflect on and consider. What’s working and what isn’t? What changes need to be made? Take advantage of summertime to troubleshoot and document a plan to finish strong. Pave a path leading to an even more successful 2018!