Spring Fever!
by Colleen Langenfeld
Do you have it?
The uncontrollable urge to get up and walk away from your desk?
I'm not talking about quitting, mind you.
I'm talking about Spring FEVER!
So, how do you stay put and get the job done when you want to bolt? How do you
keep your kids focused and hangin' in there?
Well, for starters...
- stay calm. If you don't stay focused you'll find it virtually impossible to
get your tasks completed. You may still leave work at five o'clock, but your
mind will be stressed. Keep calm, keep focused, and keep moving forward.
Next... - break it down. Break your day's work into manageable chunks.
Reward yourself with a view out a window every time you finish one of those
tasks.
- plan your off time. It will be virtually impossible to concentrate on the job
at hand if you know (even subconsciously) that you are not going to enjoy this
great time of year during your off hours, either. Skip the housework this
weekend; hit the parks instead!
- use teamwork. Can you employ the buddy system to get more work done faster?
Find another soul who is also longing to get done sooner and get it done
together.
- employ visual aids. Add a picture of your kids, your hobby, your garden,
whatever motivates you into your work environment and give it a glance whenever
you find yourself stalling.
- focus on one week at a time. Make sure you plan your whole week and not just
your day. If the work from your days doesn't lead into measurable progress, you
won't be ready for that weekend.
- serve lemonade. Grill dinner even if it is chilly outside. Pour barbeque
sauce on something! Have corn-on-the-cob. Enjoying the food of summer can make
you feel already there. Get a family calendar and mark off the days until summer
arrives. (Your kids will really enjoy this!)
- take a break. Get up and get out on your lunch break and every other break
you're allotted. Kick off your shoes and dig your toes into the grass. Inhale
deeply, clear your mind and be ready to get back to work so you can finish on
time.
- enjoy your evenings. Make the most out of the steadily growing evening hours.
Take a walk, spruce up your garden, play ball with the kids. Do homework
outside. Leave the dishes for when it gets dark.
- satisfy those cravings. If the weather is not pleasant, you can still be
longing for sunshine. Give in (a little) to those feelings by transforming
dinner into a picnic on the living room floor. Everyone wears their favorite
summer clothes. Sandals are optional!
- plan some fun! Get out the summer calendar and schedule some vacation time,
zoo days, park excursions, camping weekends. Just the act of planning your
outdoor fun will make you feel as though it is getting closer. Another benefit
is you will be more organized, too.
Spring is a great time of year. Banish your frustrations and get your must-do
work done...then go enjoy an ice cream cone. Or two!
Colleen Langenfeld helps busy working mothers find career helps, organizing
tips, meal-planning, wellness ideas and more using the free Working Mothers
Great Idea Kit at
http://www.paintedgold.com/moms .