Learn, Do Something New before Summer Ends
With kids home and vacations and nice weather beckoning outside the windows, the end of summer may be a welcome hearkening to buckle down and get back to work.
Why not take advantage of the “extra space” of summer to get out of your comfort zone and try something new? You may just find yourself returning to work with a renewed mindset, like opening a window to let in some fresh air. Here are a few ideas.
Find a New Favorite Website and Say Why You Like It
You may not be ready to update your website (or launch a new one) but when you are, a first question you will get is to provide examples of websites you like. So, which websites do you like? And what do you like about them–the color? The navigation? Simplicity or complexity? Are the sites intuitive…do you find things where you expect them? And while you’re at it, test your own site with peek.usertesting.com and see how people are viewing your site.
Check Out a New Social Media Tool
Just because you try it doesn’t mean you have to use it!
Being a “voyeur” is a way to see how others are using these communication and marketing tools, Seeing one tool that might not serve your needs, such as Facebook Livestream for live streaming video, might give you an idea to look more deeply into getting started with video and setting up a YouTube Channel.
Understanding different communication modes helps you stay connected to the different generations currently in the workforce. Instead of saying “I don’t understand all of those new communication tools (or other word you use to refer to it),” you can say “I checked out Instagram (or Twitter, Snapchat, etc.), it’s a powerful tool, but it doesn’t serve my current marketing objectives.”
Learn Something Physical
If you can do Yoga, you can paddleboard (easy rentals on Lake Michigan). Get on that bike you haven’t ridden in a while and ride the path that you drive by every day. Try glow in the dark mini-golf.
Doing something new gives you a fresh perspective and gets you out of your comfort zone, which supports renewed creativity and outlook at work. Bring someone along with you…studies show that doing something new together brings you closer.