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Tip #7: Summer Fun all Year Long
Everyone needs a mental break now and then. We tend to think of summer
as a vacation time, but we can benefit from short breaks all year long.
So I asked association execs I knew how they worked their breaks in and
here are few ideas.
At My Desk
- Schedule Reading Breaks – Have a standing weekly “meeting”
where you lean back in your office chair and read a magazine or book
that’s not directly related to your association. Keep a collection
of business books and magazines (e.g., Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles’s
Raving Fans, Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese, Milo Frank’s
How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less, Entrepreneur Magazine,
Association Management magazine) on hand.
- Surfing the Web – Trivia, entertainment, enlightenment and education
are available at your keyboard. Some sites that were recommended for
mid-day breaks are Fast
Company, Washingtonian,
Exploratorium:
Ten Cool Sites: Arts, and Mindbenders at the Jokery.
See one association exec’s list of favorites at Fun
Features.
- Yoga – Combining simple stretches on your chair, with some deep
breathing and even 5-minutes of meditation can refresh most. Visit Office
Yoga for a brief Yoga session. It’s available free as an audio
class too.
- Clean-Up Day – Mentioned by several execs: the annual clean-up
day at the office where you don jeans and de-clutter your working life.
Lunch Break Diversion
- Visit a Gallery – Depending where you are located, there’s
an excellent chance you near a gallery or museum just waiting to be
discovered. One association exec planned a weekly outing so she could
visit every museum in Washington, D.C. over the summer months.
- Lunch Across the Miles – Pick up the phone and call a friend
you don’t often see while you both munch on lunch. Another exec
uses this technique to stay in touch with family and friends.
- Join a Networking Group – A group of association execs in the
Maryland suburbs meet once a month for lunch to chat about their associations
and socialize. You can look outside the ASAE community and consider
chambers, professional groups (e.g. Association of Women in Communication),
and executive groups. There are many groups you can join or consider
starting your own.
- Volunteer – Opportunities are waiting outside your office door
which take limited commitment but offer great paybacks. One exec does
lunch duty at her child’s school, while another serves up lunch
at a soup kitchen. You can also volunteer to staff the phones at a charity
or for your public station’s next phonathon.
Away from the Office
- Work at Home – This is a popular diversion. Bring home that
project that’s been lingering on the back burner or hold a staff
meeting at your home. Two associations I’ve worked for have permitted
departments to hold their planning meetings at a staff person’s
home.
- Trading Places – Spend a day in someone else’s shoes.
One professional said they encourage staff to spend the day with a member.
One membership assistant worked in a bakery; another did a drive-along
with a sales rep.
- Take a Day Off – No matter where you are there’s a guide
book filled with fun day trips. Check out Amazon
for a book of your city.
So take a break, have some fun and re-energize.
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