Summertime Balance

A friend recently asked me for advice on how to balance social activities while still staying productive. I paused and told her that I did not have a one size fits all solution. Now that we are past the lockdowns of winter, summertime brings a desire to get outside & socialize more with an abundance of novel activities to bedazzle and stimulate Turbo Thinkers. 

Truth be told, all of the Turbo Thinkers in my world right now perceive this time of year and its challenges uniquely. Some experience anxiety related to the pandemic, and feel out of practice. Some feel ready to jump into the parties yet avoid the work. Some are more introverted and others extroverted. We all need varying degrees of personal connection, and our own dosages of activities for physical and mental health. We each have particular spiritual needs to fuel our soul. 

I asked my friend if she could start with the feeling and reverse engineer it.

How do you want to feel by Labor Day? (The start of fall/ school year/ “la rentrée”)

How do you want to feel when you wake up in the morning?

What types of activities provide you with those feelings?

In terms of “productivity” what is enough for you?

In terms of social activities, what is enough for you?

What routines would ground you throughout the summer?

How will you know you’re on track?

Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom,” and I agree. With self awareness, we can identify our needs than develop the skills to have them met. We can value our strengths and use them to our advantage. We can be curious about ourselves and let our discoveries inform the development of a personal plan.