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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Building customer loyalty and strong customer retention is getting harder and harder. The customer has raised the bar, set new rules and expects the unexpected! Pay attention! Losing customers today is swift, fast and constant!
I have recently been dealing with the DMV, discount travel sites, airlines, car companies, corporations and organizations that make it impossible for me to consider promoting them in a testimonial way. They completely time sucked me and it was anything but a colossal waste of time. GRRR...
Why put phone numbers on the site when they are always busy?
I stayed on hold as an experiment for 45 minutes and then a recorded message came on that said “they were not there” and to call back another time!
Why refer people to another site when they don’t know anything and then they refer you back to the site you came from?
Here are seven simple, basic and time tested practices that can make customer experiences pleasant and effective, even for state, county, government and corporate companies and turn them into testimonials relationships.
First impressions. Make sure whoever greets customers, answers the phone, or fields any interaction is pleasant, courteous and positive.
Faster delivery and response. How impressive and unexpected is speed in responding to and helping customers? Yes, it’s an investment in training but it pays off big time.
Real people real conversations. People crave real people, in their own country to speak to when they have a question or problem. Stop the insanity of thinking we are OK with anything but.
The bar tender principle. Know something about your customer either before or during the interaction, so we don’t have to re-tell the issue or story. Keep your files updated on prior conversations.
Enjoying this article? Here are 9 flawless reasons to subscribe to our blog.Anticipate needs and wants. Noticing a pattern to your inquiries and complaints? Fix them, look into them, research them before they happen again.
Consistent brand and customer service language. Again, train your people to consistently know anything and everything they need to about your company, products or services or have someone designated who does.
Right people for the team. Don’t just put bodies in seats, on the phones or out in the field. At least make sure they have some appreciation for what you do, what you sell and why you are in business. Trust me, we know!
Who are the companies that consistently impress you with how they serve you and why?
Who fails the test and why?
What are some of your practices that build testimonial relationships?
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
Deborah Shane is the chief motivator, educator and catalyst of the professional development consulting company, Train With Shane. Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expert Photo credit: Shutterstock
