When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals, as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!
Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.
1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs
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Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.
2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car
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Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities. Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.
3. Plan An Office Outing
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Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!
4. Organize Group Walks
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Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
5. Eat Lunch At The Park
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When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.
6. Organize Office Sports
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Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.
7. Join A Professional Group
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During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.
8. Have An Office BBQ
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Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.
9. Wake Up Early
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Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!
10. Strategically Use Your Time Off
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Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time. Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.
11. Bike To Work
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If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!
There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!
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I am a Business Executive in the financial services sector. I have been operating in this capacity for about 15 years.
I manage clients and help to create financial plans for new ones. My work includes creating financial plans for individuals and businesses. One of the biggest misconceptions about business executives is we are all lazy and fly private jets. Most of us are pretty average, hard-working wage earners.
On a scale of one to 10, I would rate my job satisfaction as a 10. I enjoy helping others meet their financial goals and working with new clients on a regular basis. I think a less demanding work schedule and a better work/life balance would allow me to unleash my full enthusiasm.
I have been in finance for as long as I can remember. I've always been interested in running a business, and I studied all that I could about the world of finance. When I started college, I knew I wanted to be a business executive, and I genuinely feel that it is my sweet spot in life.
One of the things that is unique about my situation is that I was not always on the track to working in the corporate arena. I originally wanted to be a small business owner and work in a local community as an insurance agent or . A summer internship was my discovery into the world of corporate finance.
I studied finance in college, and dug very deeply into the field of study. I took a summer internship at a large investment bank and learned everything I could about the field. If I could go back and do things differently, I would have taken a second internship and branched out into other areas of business management.
In this job, there are many hard lessons to learn. For one thing, nothing is guaranteed. I have found out the hard way that it is not wise to make promises to clients that you can't keep. I lost a major client for the company when an expected transaction didn't turn out the way we had promised.
The single most important thing that I have learned outside of school about the working world is that learning doesn't stop when you graduate. You have to keep up with changing technology and new information or you will be left behind.
The strangest thing that has happened to me in this job was a prospective client who insisted on meeting me in his home to discuss his portfolio. It was definitely a departure from the norm, but we accommodated him. He turned out to be one of our best clients.
I get up and go to work each day to make a difference in other people's lives. I really feel good or proud when I see my account executives working hard to make people's financial goals come to fruition. With the economy's challenges, it's great to be able to help hard-working people get their financial lives back on track. It's also a source of pride to help small businesses flourish and thrive in the community.
There are many challenges associated with the job. I have to deal with very high, pressure-cooker situations on a regular basis. Some factors are out of the realm of the company's control, and it makes you want to tear your hair out daily. Market fluctuations, natural disasters, international events---there are many things that can affect your work and make it more difficult.
On a scale of one to 10, I would say the stress level of being a business executive is about a 10. There are all sorts of situations that need your attention, fires to put out and problems to solve. During some periods, I work 70-hour weeks. It doesn't allow for a healthy work-life balance. The important thing is to be aware of when your stress levels are high and deal with them before they become a problem. It's a high-stress position, but I enjoy every minute of it.
A rough salary range for the position I hold is around $250,000. The position also includes a generous benefit package, commissions and bonuses. The starting salary for my position is around $175,000 and increases with experience. I believe I am paid enough, and I am quite happy living within my means. I will admit it takes a lot of "paying your dues" to work your way up to my position, but our company definitely rewards you for your hard work. Many of our executives started off as interns, assistants and entry-level account executives.
I am allowed up to four weeks vacation every year. I usually don't take all of my vacation days, especially during busy periods at the office. I know it is better for me to take my vacation time to recharge, but I find it hard to completely disconnect. Even when I am not in the office, I'm checking e-mail, sending out updates, and delegating tasks. Next year I plan to take a luxury cruise with my wife--and leave my cell phone at home!
This is a true story as told to JustJobs.com, where you can find helpful career interviews and job search advice to break into the career field you've been looking at. Visit to find an interview in your desired field today. JustJobs.com is ajob search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it.Business executive job image from Shutterstock
