- Are you finding yourself daydreaming at your desk?
- Are you unable to complete even the simplest tasks because thoughts of walks in the sunshine and swimming in the ocean get in your way?
- Are you planning your next round of golf even as you prepare for your next meeting?
- Are you avoiding those people who have asked you to do something or whom you know will help you with your goals for the fall?
If your answer is “YES” to any of these or similar questions, you are not alone.
It is the season for disengagement, for being mentally AWOL even if physically present. You may call it “summeritis” or the summer doldrums. Whatever we call it, our disengagement at this time of year can cost dearly after Labor Day.
It’s not that I begrudge us summer time off, of course. The issue is not with time off but with the way we approach it. During our time off we think about the things we have to do and during our time at work we can’t help but be distracted by those things we would rather be doing at this time of year.
I have been wondering if this may be because we are so stingy about real vacation time. Not only are Americans offered less vacation time than Europeans, for example, but also those of us who have it frequently don’t use it! The consequence is a near constant longing for time off during work hours. Further, the discomfort with taking time off prevents us from being present when we are supposed to be relaxing or enjoying our families.
A potential cure: Be in the moment. Ask yourself at regular intervals whether you are truly “present” and engaged. If the answer is “no”, find a way to re-engage in the task or the present moment. Find the fun or the interest in whatever is happening at the time.
I have also noticed that a number of my clients are also AWOL, not calling or setting up the appointments that they tell me they want to make progress on their goals. I wonder if this is a different form of “summeritis”, one that makes them put their own needs at the bottom of the priority list.
My wish for you, my reader and/or client, is that you are able to truly take time off to rejuvenate, refresh, and restore your strength, and that you are able to reengage with great gusto when the weather cools off.
See you in September!