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Working Summer
Remember enjoying the long lazy days of summer? For those of us who had the foresight to pursue a career in education, enjoy! But if you’re like me, you’re trying to find a creative way for the 2 weeks of vacation that you do have to last the whole year.
Summer vacation is a distant memory. Now your days are spent in a drab office. Filing. Most likely without a window nearby.
Yes, life in the office can get a little lackluster, especially in the summertime. Never has the movie Office Space seemed so true to life. Cubicle walls feel like they’re closing in on you. And Nina from Corporate Accounts Payable is driving you mad with her high-pitched nasal phone voice.
Take heart. There’s good news. You can still enjoy your summer. You just have to get creative and think outside of the box, or cubicle. Here’s how:
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FNFN. Make a commitment NOT to catch up on the first five seasons of 24 this summer. My friends and I started Friday Night Fun Night. Sound cheesy? Well it is, but it lives up to its name. Whether we plan a night out dancing or a night in playing poker, there's always something to do. Start an email list. Invite everyone, and tell them to invite their friends. FNFN often spills over to Saturday at the lake and Sunday morning brunch. Once you realize others are with you in the same boat, gather them together and do something fun outside of work. So, in homage to the 80s classic by Loverboy, your best defense against beating the office summer blues is making your weekends worth you while. |
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Road Trip! Make this Memorial Day weekend memorable by heading out on the open road. Research your state's department of tourism and discover points of interest you can realistically reach in a weekend. If it weren't for much-needed road trips, I would have never hiked in the Smoky Mountains, never eaten a real Chicago-style hot dog at Wrigley Field, and never learned how to change a flat tire in Pittsburgh. (Hey, some road trips are better than others.) |
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Get Active. It might be time for a hobby, and I'm not talking about seeing how many quotes from Will Ferrell movies you can memorize by September. Do yourself a favor and don't spend your summer on the couch. What's better than a warm June night at the driving range, or a Saturday morning hike? Or let out some of that corporate angst by joining your company's softball team. More than likely there's something you've been meaning to try, and now's the time to do it. Whatever you do, get outside and get active. You'll be glad you did. |
If all else fails, set your computer desktop wallpaper to "paradise" and sip on a tropical smoothie. Maybe you can even convince your boss to put a colorful paper umbrella in it for you. That alone will make your first "working summer" a memorable one!
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