Using the offseason to your advantage
It’s June, which means that if the school year hasn’t ended in your neck of the woods, it’s probably in its last throes. Talking to my clients, it’s that unique mix of:
* total exhaustion at the end of the year,
* pride in all that’s been accomplished
* perseverance through the twists and turns
* wheels turning on what’s ahead…
* looking ahead to the future, mentally planning to be ready to roll.
One thing I’ve been asking all my leaders lately, especially those who are on the academic year cycle, is “What are you doing for yourself to recharge?” The year is winding up, teachers are finishing up checklists and getting ready to take off for the summer, and the buildings are suddenly emptier and quiet. Just like every sport has its off-season, every mission driven organization has its off-season. For schools, it’s usually the summer: less people in the buildings, meetings are more focused and interrupted less often, phones are quiet and email chills out. When I ran the Teach For America summer training Institute, June was bananas–but late August was the off-season as teachers went off to their regions.
Off-seasons can vary internally within organizations (the Teach For America regions enjoyed their off season while we were running Institute and vice versa when it came to the fall!): the point is, everyone has an off season.
Thus, the question I ask leaders: what are you doing to recharge this off-season? This is one of THE most important questions I can ask them as a coach or coach-sultant–so often, no one else is asking and it’s helpful to spend a little time thinking about how you can recharge your batteries.
I find that sometimes for ambitious leaders, the urge to get SO MUCH done can take over. Some folks like to be frugal with their PTO days, or think the secret to getting ahead during the year is maximizing their off-season and working straight through. At various points, I’ve had each of these perspectives and I’ve learned the hard way: use at least part of the off-season to recharge. Go totally offline. Take a long stretch of time away. You know how sometimes when your internet is down, you have to power it down for a bit and when you power it back up it magically works? Leaders are the same! Taking time away from your work fills your tank and makes you better and fresher when you get back.
What do you do? Up to you. I always think it’s helpful to basically do nothing for a bit at the beginning of the off-season, just to get some energy back. Others like to travel–take an adventure or go away. A few years ago I started doing a “summer kick off” trip with my kids, which was a great way to kind of make a statement like “Hey, it’s summer mode!”
Yes, it can be easier to get stuff down during downtime–but taking some time doesn’t mean you are missing all downtime. You will be more efficient, thoughtful, sharper if you are able to take some time away.
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for more reminders like this…the cost of not caring for yourself (for not only you but also your family, friends, organization and mission) is too high.