This summer, your mind is probably fully occupied with BBQs and staycations (and beer gardens!). But did you know that this is also the perfect time to reassess your career goals and ambitions?
The warmer months give us a great time to relax, recharge and ultimately take stock of our careers. Here are just a few reasons why you should take even an hour out of your summer holiday to ask yourself some hard questions. Don’t worry — you can even do it from a lilo.
Other people are slacking off
Think about how busy people usually are in January. Gyms are usually jammed, and people are setting themselves goals and targets for the year ahead. Now think about how busy people are during the summer months… probably pretty quiet.
While everyone sets themselves goals at the start of the year, very few people continue them past six months. If you decide to go for a promotion, change careers or upskill this summer, you will probably be ahead of the crowd.
You have more time to research
If you’re thinking about making a career pivot then summer is the perfect time to research other options. Make the most of the long evenings by attending industry events and researching possible career moves. If you’re going on holiday, bring a good autobiography or career-focused book with you to read by the pool.
You can gain perspective
Sometimes, you need to step back from your current situation in order to get perspective. This summer, make sure you take time away from work. I mean really switch off completely, with no Slack, emails or work WhatApps for at least a couple of days.
It’s only when you allow yourself to truly switch off from it all that you can really assess whether your career is making you happy and what you can do to change it.
Socialise
Use your summer time to network with as many people as possible. Connect with old college friends, past colleagues and mentors. Arrange weekly lunches, and don’t be afraid to attend some networking events or parties. In most offices, work tends to wind down a little bit during the summer months, so people are much more likely to be able to meet up. Use these interactions as a chance to share expertise and gain advice.
If you are looking for a change, be sure to keep an eye on our job board for some amazing opportunities!
