As the days get shorter, the excitement of warm-weathered activities fades and the hot summer sun begins to dwindle, you may notice a negative impact on your own mood and energy levels. This can be due to a number of different reasons, many of which involve the impending fate of a cold Canadian winter. These end-of-summer-blues might have you dreading the thought of putting away your flip flops and pool floatie in exchange for some wool socks and a snowblower, or have you daydreaming about a beach getaway or even next summer; either way, this can make it quite difficult to look forward to upcoming social activities or focus on tasks at work.
As gloomy as the end of summer can be, it is the beginning of a season that often gets overlooked: fall! You know, that brief but blissful time when the leaves are changing to a beautiful spectrum of colours, the air is brisk but refreshing and your favourite coffee shop starts serving the best flavours? Needless to say, with holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween quickly approaching, there is a lot to look forward to in these upcoming autumn months.
Unlike the beginning of a new school year for a student, fall is also a great opportunity for a fresh start in your work life. This doesn’t have to look like a big job change or a promotion; a fresh start in your current position could be as simple as:
- Redecorating your workspace
- Making your lunch instead of purchasing it
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Creating a playlist of your favourite songs
You’ll be amazed by how implementing these small changes can give your ordinary work day new meaning. Alternatively, to make a fresh start stick, taking a step back to evaluate your progress and then setting new goals for yourself can help transform your outlook on your day-to-day routine, which can be very motivating. Taking the time outside of formalized meetings with your Manager or Supervisor to reflect on what value you add to your organization, as well as what you could do to become an even better worker, will not only be reenergizing, but will also keep you on track to championing the objectives you set out for yourself.
Whichever approach you take, the start of a new season brings new opportunities; so grab yourself a pumpkin spiced latte, put on your favourite spooky film and pioneer your own fresh start!
If you’d like to know more about Salopek & Associates and how we can help your business refocus and reorganize for the Fall season, please contact us for more information!
Vanessa is one of our Business Associate with over 15+ years of small business operational and management experience. Over the years Vanessa has had vast hands-on experience with start-ups, small-medium size business and franchises. She has proudly started, owned, and operated several businesses, including Canadian franchises and a award-winning Restaurant in Calgary Alberta. She is an advocate for entrepreneurs and small business owners and understands the unique needs and circumstance of businesses in various industries. Vanessa is also a proud to sit on the Board of Director for AARCS, and understands the importance of aligning Board strategy with daily operations of the organization. Vanessa is a CPHR candidate with a Business degree from the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary. She combines years of industry experience with a strong broad and practical skillset that helps organizations look at their people strategy as a full entity of their business to help them grow and develop.