Labour Day, which typically heralds the (unofficial) end of summer, was early this year. That means even sooner than usual, we made the annual transition from laid-back, lowpressure August to nose-to-the-grindstone September. Fortunately, it's possible to cushion that jolting re-entry to our professional reality. Here are a few examples of how you can make your changeover as positive as possible.
1. Ease into it - This week, start thinking about the kinds of tasks you will be working on. What types of meetings will take place? The idea is to get motivated, even excited.
2. Set Some Tentative Goals - Why not take it one step further and actually identify some things you'd like to get done? Create an "aspiration list" of things you want to accomplish during the last four months of the year. How can you inspire and coach your coworkers be more productive?
3. Ask yourself, "What's so terrible about work, anyway?" - Vacation and summertime activities are certainly fun. But so are creative challenges, stimulating projects, positive collaboration with colleagues, and meaningful achievements. So why not choose to embrace what lies ahead?
4. Cross your Ts - Is your contact list clean and up to date? Do you have the necessary apps installed on your smartphone, tablet and/or computer? Make sure you have everything you need to start the month efficiently and effectively.
5. Get in touch with your colleagues - Often, we aren't in regular contact with our team or coworkers during the summer months. So why not reach out and re-establish contact with important co-workers before you get back to the office? Make a quick call or shoot them a brief email.
Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer are the authors of SmartStorming: The Game-Changing Process for Generating Bigger, Better Ideas (www.smartstorming.com). The book is available from all major online booksellers and online.
