Back in the Saddle: Getting refocused after time away
I'm so glad to be back with you this week! Over the last couple of weeks, we have been talking about how a leader can take time away by empowering their team properly. I was practicing what I was preaching, as my family and I were on the other side of the world in Africa -- making several stops to make some unforgettable, life-changing memories. It was an incredible way to end the summer, but I am so excited to be back in the saddle and back with you to dive into the fall "semester".
It could be the lifelong educator and coach in me, but the beginning of August always feels like a new year in its own way. It's a new beginning after a busy summer that brings us an opportunity to get reorganized and reinvigorated around our work and professional purpose.
I’ve got some really exciting updates coming for you over the next few months (more on those next week!), so I came home to a full plate of tasks to jump into. As I am getting refocused on the work ahead of me, I wanted to give you three tools I use to get reorganized! Maybe this will be helpful for you as you wrap up your summer and work to get back into a routine.
1. Rise Early: On my first day back, I set an early alarm clock to give myself quiet time and solitude to think and get my thoughts organized. This allows me to think honestly about all that’s going on around me and how to best prioritize taking action.
2. Write it down: Once I’ve been able to think and brainstorm, I get my thoughts on paper. Writing things down helps with another layer of processing, which can be essential, especially after a significant time away from structure. I write down any tasks, calls, ideas, potential connections, etc. and make sure that it is all out of my head and written down.
3. C+P: Categorize and prioritize! Finally, I create categories around all of my notes, and then prioritize actions within each one. Once this process is complete, I know exactly what to do first in each category. This helps me feel far less overwhelmed and streamlines the ways both my team and I can take action. Not only does this help me get organized, but knowing what to do first always helps to create more momentum, which makes reentry exciting and energizing!
Whether August is bringing you more structure because of school starting for your kids, or you’ve just had a whirlwind of a summer, I hope you’re as excited as I am for a more consistent rhythm and days that feel more productive. Here’s to all of us getting back in the saddle together! I’ll meet you back here next week with two really fun announcements – see you then!
