In the words of Nat King Cole, “Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…”
Just the thought of transitioning to fun in the sun is enough to make most of us lose our focus. Add a little AD/HD, some learning differences, and/or other executive functioning challenges to the mix and you have a recipe for floating through a lazy, hazy, crazy season without a goal in sight.
This summer, why not take a lazy, hazy, crazy – and focused – approach to summer? Why not tap into the oft- borrowed business acronym FOCUS and be the manager of your own summer success?
FOCUS sounds simple enough; however, the key to success with this formula is starting in the middle, with the letters O and C. For many of us, the tendency is to contemplate too many things, and thus lose our main focus. Choose ONE COURSE of action. Consider what you want to accomplish, set your sights on a single outcome, and define it as specifically as possible.
This brings us back to the top of the FOCUS formula: FOLLOW. What do you need in order to follow your plan? Grab a partner and think through the process out loud. It will help to write this down. What is realistic over the next ten weeks? What is an achievable outcome? Define what success will look like to you on August 31st.
Suppose that your chosen goal, your course, is to learn watercolor painting in the next few months and you have defined success as taking four weeks of art lessons and producing two watercolor masterpieces. Develop your plan: Establish specific times to paint, dedicate a space, and create a specific routine to follow three or four times every week.
It helps to have an accountability buddy to keep you motivated. Perhaps you can find a friend, family member, partner, or coach who will help inspire you and keep you accountable. Work your plan every day.
If, by July 4th, you feel overwhelmed or fuzzy, go back to your FOCUS plan. Remind yourself why you wanted to accomplish this goal. Remember the positive emotion you felt the day you planned your future success and check in with your buddy.
I hope you and your family enjoy these lazy, hazy, crazy – and focused – days of summer that come around just once a year!
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