What are your summer plans? Barbecues with friends? Beach trips with the family? Sunset walks with your favorite person?
Summer is a great time to check in with your loved ones and enjoy some rest and relaxation together. But it’s also an opportunity to check in with yourself! Throughout the year, we often get bogged down in the day-to-day hustle of work assignments, school tasks or responsibilities at home and can easily lose sight of our own goals—both personal and professional. In the summer, however, the pace of life tends to slow down just a bit, freeing you up not only for fun in the sun but also to take some time and reassess where you’re headed. Taking a look at our long-range plans—and the short-term strategies we have to get there!—can be a tall task but it’s one that should definitely be on your radar if you find yourself with a little downtime this summer.
One clear focus can, of course, be your career. Consider what your ideal job opportunity would look like and, importantly, what you want to get out of your next role so that you find a good and lasting fit. Here are a few practical tips to get started:
- Brush up your resume and online profiles and portfolios to be up to date and help you stand out. Cut out the cliché phrases and add in lots of personality!
- Explore career development opportunities like certificate programs or employer-sponsored training to help refresh your focus and stay energized.
Another area should be your own health and wellness. In recent years, in light of the pandemic, we’ve all seen how health—physical, mental and emotional—is linked to happiness, both in the workplace and beyond. To check in on your health this summer:
- Make self-care not a goal, but a priority. Whether that’s making time to kick back with a book or revisiting one of your favorite hobbies, finding joy in relaxation can do a world of wonder for both your personal and professional lives.
- Take stock of where you want to grow in your health. The quiet moments of summer can be an opportunity to reflect on plans, and that can include how you want to strengthen your health.
This summer, don’t forget to pay some attention to your development. No matter where you are on your career journey, there’s always room for learning and improvement. Here are a few quick things you can do this summer to keep you forward-focused:
- Got some extra time this summer? Enroll in a skills training program to beef up your know-how in the area you hope to focus your career on. For instance, here at Integrity Staffing Solutions, we offer our associates free, online education through Next Step U, where they can access specific programs to help them advance their career.
- Link up with professionals who can help you along that journey. Whether through employee resource groups at your work, networking events or professional associations, networking with people you can learn from (and learn with!) is a great way to help develop your skills and make important connections.
