June ushers in one of my favorite traditions: Summer Fridays. As long as I get all of my work done and nothing urgent comes up, I’m taking Friday afternoon off.
What do I do with that time? I go to the pool. I read a book. I’ll do something fun with my daughter. Or I’ll just happily sit in the air conditioning with nothing to do. It doesn’t really matter as long as I’m taking a bit of time off.
Why Summer Fridays?
Every morning, my daughter has unstructured time. This is when she’s the most imaginative. She’ll build amazing things or have conversations about so many things with her Little People. I absolutely love seeing what she creates when there are no expectations thrust upon her. It’s just her imagination and whatever she has handy.
The same is definitely true of adults. When we have unstructured time, our brains can come alive. And to be frank, that will make us better at our job.
Plus, it gives us time to do things we wouldn’t otherwise be able to do. And I can easily use that actual life experience for client needs. Once again, it’s making me better at my job.
Summer Friday Dos
- Do put it on your schedule: If it’s not just an idea that you’d like to do and on a schedule as something you will do, you are more likely to take this time off over the summer. You’re more likely to tell your clients that you’re not available on Friday afternoons and you’re more likely to get your work done in time. It becomes a goal to work towards during the week, which means you’re going to do your best to get everything done to make it happen.
- Do create a plan to get there: I’m of the thought that if you don’t plan, then you’re planning to fail. If you want to get your work done in time for an afternoon off, make a plan to get there. Don’t leave it up to chance.
- Do communicate clearly: Let everyone you work with that this is your goal for the summer, while also telling them that you will always be available if something comes up. Handle any resistance by listing all of the positives of this plan for your client or anyone else you work with.
- Do make a list of things you’d like to do if you had unlimited time: Take advantage of these extra hours in your week. Get some life experience and do the things you’ve always thought about doing. Use this time to make your life better and more full.
Don’ts
- Don’t overschedule your Summer Fridays: A big part of this is to give you back some time so you can get back to being who you are. If you have no unstructured time, you’re not going to let your brain relax and you’re chancing a burnout. So even if you do plan some things to do during this time, make sure to leave some open time as well.
- Don’t overload yourself with work: Can you do all of your work in a shorter amount of time? If the answer is no, then maybe Summer Fridays is more of an occasional thing for you. Take what you can get and build towards more freedom next year.
- Don’t consistently pick time off over clients: Is your client only available at 3 pm on Friday? Then give them that time. Do they have something last minute that comes up that needs your attention? Get it done. This is not something that should hinder your productivity. It should enhance it.
- Don’t expect everyone to be on this schedule: Not everyone is going to do Summer Fridays, especially with so much upheaval with the economy and the marketing world. Not everyone is going to prioritize rest. That’s okay. Don’t make them feel guilty about it and don’t feel guilty about your plans. Accommodate where you can, but don’t expect the same accommodations back. If you have to check in for a few minutes or so during your afternoon off, it’s not the end of the world and you can still accomplish everything you have planned. So be flexible.
Summer Fridays is not a perfect plan when you have loads of work to do. But if used appropriately, it can be an easy way to get regular rest and prevent burnout. And considering the state of the world, it’s more important then ever to be proactive about preventing burnout. So give it a try and see how it works for you.
How have you made Summer Fridays possible for your work?