From Summer Chilling to Autumn Productivity…

So what did you do last summer? (Well… in the summer that has just officially come to an end as we entered autumn equinox)…

I have to admit, for me… summer 2015 was unlike any summer I have had in recent years. Why you ask? Because for quite a bit of it… I rested! I relaxed. I truly switched off at times. For a gal whose default is “on the go” – having most elements of my summer involving ‘chilling’ felt quite strange but once I got over it, it was awesome and I’d happily take the same approach again in the future.

Now, we’re in September and I’m somewhat revitalised and figured this would be an excellent time to share some ideas about how to turn “summer chilling”  mode into “autumn productivity” central if you, like me, are ready to step it up a gear. I think it’s worth mentioning (in case you haven’t realised), that we are rapidly approaching the last quarter of 2015 and while it’s certainly not worth panicking and scrambling as we head towards the finish line of the year… it is definitely worth taking a step back, re-prioritising, strategising and moving into the last quarter with clarity and confidence. After all, that p***ed off or guilty feeling when we know we could have achieved more of our important goals in the year isn’t fun – so let’s avoid that scenario and get clear now.

So, here is what I suggest as we make the final transition from summer relaxation to autumn productivity. Let’s do two exercises that will give us perspective and start the clarity ball rolling.

• First exercise: Let’s write down a list of five things – that depict the good, the bad and the ugly of our summer season (whatever is relevant). If all good… that’s fab and it just means that it would be beneficial to create goals for the autumn which make you feel the same way. If not great (in terms of decisions you made about how you were spending your time)… then you know where to start and what to rectify moving forward… but make sure you include at least some good on your list.As I’ve decided that my chilled approach to the summer is exactly what I needed, I’ll refrain from the default “It’s bad that I wasn’t productive” thoughts at the very back of my head and most of the things on this list, I’ll consider to be good. They include (1) My hubby and I travelling to Canada and spending some quality time with his family and with each other. (2) Visiting the beautiful mountains in Banff… one of the most stunning places I have ever been… and that’s saying something! (3) My mum visiting us in London and us having a great catch up and spending quality time with other members of the family. Making the visit even more awesome with weekend trips to Paris and to the wedding (also in France) of an amazing childhood friend of mine (4) A less busy vibe than normal at my employed work, with highlights including careers fair planning and supporting students as they received their exam results (5) Tuning into some much needed self-care… which involved slowing down and being less ‘busy’ for the duration of the summer.

What’s on your list? I’ve stuck with the ‘good’ which has helped me be in a frame of mind that will allow me to move into kiss a***, ninja style goal setting mode for exercise two.

• Second exercise: Make a list of some of the things you would like to achieve before the end of 2015. It can be a bit of a brain dump at first if you want but then make sure you streamline it to 3-8 things that are really important to you. When you’ve done that… you have a clear indicator of some areas where you need to focus your attention in the coming months.Again: I’m happy to share part of my list with you, and I’d love to know what’s on your list (feel free to share in the comments below!):(1) Review Limitless Coaching as a business and get really clear on strategies and focus for  the next six months (2) Launch my first online group coaching programmes… the “Happily Ever After for Grown-Up programme which is targeted at newlyweds and couples who want to achieve big career ambitions while maintaining a quality relationship (3) Ensure that each weekend involves quality ‘switch off’ time for me and hubby – keep building towards that work life balance that suits us (4) Build my online presence through continuing to publish blogs on my site, LinkedIn and the Huffington Post (5) Continue the process of house redecoration… before we get into the depths of winter!

Now it’s your turn. Remember, as is the case from most content you’ll find via Limitless Coaching – this isn’t just a ‘nice to read’ blog… it’s a ‘take action and make improvements in my own life and career’ blog… so jump in. What are the results of these two exercises for you? Whether you share here in the comments (which I’d love!) or not – do take half an hour to do these exercises which will help you move towards autumn productivity and awesome goal setting in the last quarter of 2015.