As we go into the summer, I’m sure that many of you are busy preparing for your kids’ activities, vacations, and family outings. It is very easy to get caught up in the doing and less in the enjoying. I know that I myself have this problem, having four little ones to take care of and a business to run. This is where I need to take the leadership role not only with my kids, but with myself. Here are some things I do to keep sane 🙂

1. Work smarter – Don’t start every project from scratch. In my business, I’ve developed standardized forms and steps, called systems, so that once a project is done, it is duplicatable. For example, as you noticed, you receive a monthly KWIC Newsletter every first Monday of each month which has already been created once and all I need to do is write my special letter to you to plug into the pre-formatted header.

2. Debrief your activities – Take the time after each activity or project your staff organizes to talk about how it went before jumping into the next project. Lead a discussion based on three questions: What happened? So what? Now what?

3. Do less – People always ask me how I get so much done. Answer: I delegate. Think about how much your time is worth. Having four kids, I would rather spend my precious time with them than do things I don’t like doing. So I hired a house manager who takes care of the every day activities that I would otherwise be doing without her ie. laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc…

4. Collaborate more – How can you collaborate more with other groups in your community to have a bigger impact? Is there a way to involve some of these groups in some of the activities you have going on? Collaboration is a great way to enjoy more.

5. Get organized – I once heard that people spend 20% of their time looking for things. Can you imagine wasting this much of your life? Take some time to reorganize your computer, email, files, calendar, and storage closet. It may take a huge effort when doing this, but imagine all the time you’ll save in the immediate future.

6. Put technology to work for you – I can honestly say that I am not technologically savvy. However, I do know the basics, and I hire people who are great at programs and digital tools that will make my life easier for me.

7. Improve communication – Look for ways to improve the way you communicate with your staff and family members. We often run into difficulty with people because they don’t know something, so you can head off problems by keeping them informed. The quality of your relationships is directly proportionate to your ability to communicate effectively with people.

8. Stay away from negative people – Cultivate the friendship of positive people and keep clear of people who always have a negative approach to things. Negative people have a way of pulling everyone else down with them.

9. Lose weight – Instead of the typical resolution to start dieting, consider what issues or problems are weighing you down. A person typically has 15-17 messes in their lives. It may be a mess in a relationship, a mess in the trunk of their car, or a mess with their taxes. Make a list of these messes and determine which mess you want to tackle for the month. Get some people together to help you come up with a solution and implement it. You’ll feel less stressed with that mental weight off your mind.

10. Set the stage for the summer – Plan ahead of time how your summer will look like. I personally do this by having a huge calendar with all the activities and work days scheduled so that my entire family and staff can see them. This way, everyone is on the same page which causes less confusion and overwhelm.

11. End the school year on a solid financial footing – Check your family and business budget to see if your revenues and expenses are as planned. For more information on how to do this, come to one of our KWIC Mini-Camps www.kwickids.com/camps/minicamp

12. Network – Build great relationships with like-minded people. They will help you keep going when your motivation is dwindling or you need some new ideas regarding family or business.

I hope these leadership tools will help you enjoy your summer to it’s fullest!