Embrace the Pace
Summer is nearly half over where I live.
For most charity leaders summer is a definite change of pace. People take holidays. There’s less incoming email. The daily rhythms of work are different.
The first couple weeks of summer are often a relief after pushing through the spring. But by mid-summer there can be a growing sense that we really need to get moving again to be ready for the always important fall and year end seasons. Many of us get a little antsy.
It is important to not let the 8-10 weeks of summer become lazy. Some recovery and refreshment is certainly due, but there can be a temptation to move too far from self care to self indulgence. (I explore this as part of the Self Care and Stress Strategies workshop I’ve been delivering frequently in recent years).
But there is also a temptation to do too much.
Healthy Leaders are able to adjust their expectations of themselves, and especially of others, to allow the summer season to do its good work.
This can be a season for different thinking, for focussed learning, for connection that doesn’t have to produce immediate results. The natural world demonstrates health in seasonal rhythms where plants and animals behave in different ways that serve their life long sustainability. Too many leaders and organizations attempt to always be in rapid growth mode when periods of rest and strengthening what is already present are needed.
This is a great time to experiment with Productive Distraction instead of the all too common Distracted Production.
Distracted Production is what happens when we are trying really hard to get things done even when we aren’t able to give our best attention or effort. It’s sometimes necessary, but rarely satisfying. Most of us, and our teams, spend too much time like this.
Productive Distraction is what happens when we step away from the grind and do something unrelated. How often have you had a key insight while driving, doing dishes, walking the dog, or gardening? Familiar physical tasks, especially those that involve some kind of rhythmic movement, help us engage our creativity and subconscious. Our best problem solving or idea generation often comes when we’re not trying.
So, embrace the different pace of summer. Encourage your team to do some of their work in a park or by the pool. Have a lunchtime walking club. Return emails more slowly. Try something a little unusual in a fundraising campaign or social media release. Read a book on a topic that has little direct connection to your work (I’m going to pick up Like Literally Dude by Dr. Valerie Fridland).
It is true that you might find getting things going again in September a little tricky. And, especially if you’re not used to it, easing off to open up space for deeper rest and insight may not “work” right away. But the benefits are there if you’re willing to find them, and your team, friends, and family, not to mention your deeper self, will all appreciate it.
Contact me if I can be helpful to your organization.
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