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Summertime and the Livin’ is EasyFaced with a 75% increase in my electric bill as of July 1 (thanks to a rather large
hiccup in the regulation of utilities here in Maryland), I have been testing myself to see how well I can tolerate life without air-conditioning. I wish I could honestly say I am ready to make a smaller energy footprint on the planet, but alas, my affinity for the creature comforts won out last night as another heat wave rolled in. Still, I made some interesting observations during my brief period of sacrifice, brought on by the
unavoidable experience of summer – heat and humidity. As I lounged on my shady patio in front of the fan, trying to expend as little of my own energy as possible, memories of simpler times came drifting back.
Remember when the onset of summer meant that everything slowed down for the duration? Not only did families go on long vacations together, but there were no cell phones or Blackberries or laptops to keep them tethered to the office. People didn’t
stay in the office as late in the evening, for that matter; they came home and played outdoors with the kids. In some places, they moved the whole family down to the shore or out to the country and commuted in to work for the summer; today, the daily commute is as long as or longer than that old summertime trek!
I remember long, lazy days on vacation from school, or later on, on weekends off from
work, when I would read an entire book cover-to-cover, or telephone distant friends, or just “veg out.” Nowadays, I have to struggle with feelings of guilt if I don’t cross off several items a day on my to-do list, even on weekends. It’s not as easy as it once was just to have some downtime. You actually have to work at it.
I’m reminded of a distinction I once read and noted between the concept of “recreation”
and “vacation.” Recreation is defined as the refreshment of one's mind or body after work through activity that amuses or stimulates; in other words, play. Vacation, by contrast, is a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest, or relaxation. Although the work-life trend now is to take only very short vacations, and even if we do take longer ones, not to totally devote ourselves to the experience, it strikes me that more and
better recreation is still available to us as a way to make summertime pleasurable again.
Recreation as refreshment: that doesn’t require expensive sporting equipment or pricey tickets to major league sports or cultural arenas. It doesn’t require a beach house or a yacht or an “outdoor kitchen.” It doesn’t even require advance planning or reservations. Remember the old advertising slogan, “the pause that refreshes?”
Refreshment – recreation – can still be found in the brief pauses we might take from the busyness of our daily lives.
What if……you picked up some fresh corn on the cob and shucked it while sitting on the back steps?...you sat outside just after sunset and watched the lightening bugs come out?...you ate breakfast on the balcony?...you squeezed yourself a glass of lemonade and sipped it on the porch?...you did the crossword puzzle sitting on the
ground propped against a tree trunk?...you let the dog stop and sniff whatever he wanted to on the evening walk?...you ran through the lawn sprinkler a few times as you “adjusted” it?
You may have noticed that all these simple summer pleasures involve very little time or effort, and that they all entail emerging from our air-conditioned cocoon into the heat and the moistness and the messiness of the season. Yet somehow, they do refresh. Maybe
it’s the memories they serve up, and the reminder that life is still – at least sometimes – just not that serious. Coaching can help you learn to pause and refresh no matter what the season. Let’s talk. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
If you keep a journal, or would like to start, try this exercise in remembering and reflecting. During the course of a few days, notice those things, people, events, or happenings that remind you of summers long past. - Describe the memory in terms of all five senses – what did it look, sound, feel, taste, smell like?
- What feelings and emotions do these memories call forth in you?
- What is important to you about these memories?
- What things, people, events, or happenings of this summer do you want to remember in the future? How will you remember them?
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A new survey by Accountemps finds that 63% of workers believe they produce more at work if they are friends with co-workers. Top executives tend to agree, with 57% citing friendships among employees as an important component in getting more done.
Consulting firms that advise companies on recruiting and retention may want to look in the mirror. According to a recent survey by Top-Consultant.com, consultancies are experiencing annual turnover and attrition of 15% to 20% in the U.S.
According to a survey conducted by careers website Vault.com, more than half of all U.S. workplace restrooms are gender-neutral. The survey polled workers across various industries, with 56% of respondents being women and 44% being men. Single-occupancy bathrooms that are used by both men and women are now the norm in 51% percent of all companies. 
Permatemp A person working for extended periods in a range of situations, such as through a staffing firm or as an independent contractor. The Center for a Changing Workforce estimates that there are at least 3 million permatemps in the workforce. Critics charge
that these workers often are paid lower wages and receive fewer benefits while performing the same jobs as regular employees. 
 Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation, edited by Roger Housden. What I like about it: Okay, it’s too darn hot to concentrate on anything longish, so it seems like a good time to dip into some poetry. Like other collections edited by Housden, this book
mixes the work of contemporary poets with old favorites that “both open the mind and heal the heart.” The first line of the introduction, from poet Mary Oliver, says it all: “Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates Share what you’re into — books, articles, movies, music, websites — with others on the list! Send us the title and author or other pertinent information, along with a sentence or two on what you
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