This month has been incredible. I made a commitment to be more purposeful and focused in my work-life. I've also worked to be more proactive, rather than reactive. It's been a true test of discipline and determination because old habits are hard to break. But, the rewards of my commitment far outweigh the challenges I faced trying to meet them, so I press on.
Today, I flipped through the monthly pages of my agenda and in just a few quick page turns, the May calendar was sitting in front of me – May 27th to be exact. That's the last day of school for my kids. Despite my best intentions, the start of summer break usually creeps up faster than I expect and I become reactive, scrambling to figure out what to do with my kids for three long months. This year will be different because I am committed to being proactive in every area of my life.
As I prepare for the Great Summer of 2019, I thought I'd share my process and give you a proactive nudge to begin yours:
Create a picture.All things begin with a vision and so should your summer planning. Your first step is to figure out what you want to do. My business is growing and it's important that I maintain momentum through the summer months. At the same time, I don't want to work so hard that I miss opportunities to enjoy stress-free time with my children. Another important consideration is our family's plan to relocate back to San Diego some time this year. Ideally, I'll escape the oppressive Phoenix heat for a number of weeks during the summer to begin that transition – scouting out places to live, spending time with friends and family, and building business connections in the area.
Research your options.Regardless of your vision, there are plenty of resources available to support you during the summer months. If you're interested in sending your kids to a summer sleepaway camp, CampGroup can help find the one. Of course, also be sure to check out programs available in your city, usually offered through the city's Parks & Recreation department.
Set aside resources.The summer months can be costly. Even if you keep your kids home with you for the entire summer, you'll incur increased expenses on food and basic entertainment. But add the cost of a family vacation, child care and summer camps and suddenly you're budget is stretched to the limit. Spend time today to project these costs and start setting aside money. To lower the expense, consider forming a co-op with other moms in the community to exchange child care. Also, begin bargain shopping for supplies and resources you might need over the summer. For example, I value continuous learning and do enrichment activities with my kids so their brains don't atrophy over summer break. Buying all the things I'll need in one fell swoop is more than my budget can bear, so I pick up things when I see them at a good price and store them in a “summer bin” for later.
Getting started today for summer will ensure that you're not only prepared, but that you and your kids enjoy the time off. These are just a few ways to get ready, so feel free to chime in with more ideas and tips. Here's to a stress-free summer working moms!
