Thanksgiving Week! YEAH!!! I remember as a boy the excitement of a short school week (4 days off to a boy is a super-long weekend), relatives visiting on Thursday, pumpkin pie and leftover turkey. Thanksgiving Week has to be one of the coolest weeks of the year.
In my early career, I always had jobs that followed the same pattern of a 3 day work-week and 4 days off. Wednesday night became Friday night — it still was a cool week with an adult twist.
Now my career has matured to the point where I’m connected 24/ 7 and the time between work and play has blurred. Today, I no longer punch a time clock at my job or operate by the regulated ring of a school bell. But the cool and excitement factor of Thanksgiving week still resonates. It’s in that spirit that I made a list of how I’m going to be productive this Thanksgiving week.
Steve’s List of things to do during Thanksgiving Week to be more productive:
- It’s a short week – give 2-1/2+ days of real effort.
- Don’t start new projects, but finish at least 2 lingering projects.
- Spend some thinking time listing what you want/need to finish by the end of the year (i.e. come back after the Thanksgiving weekend with a realistic 4 week game-plan).
- Be kind and caring to your fellow work-mates (they are fellow human beings and they also appreciate acts of kindness).
- Enjoy the long-weekend! Use the long weekend to re-charge for career and work.
- Enjoy the time with family and friends — at the end of our lives, we’ll remember this more than what we accomplished during the short Thanksgiving work week.
Of course many in the service industry such as retail and restaurants will not be able to enjoy a long weekend. They will be at their jobs early on Friday morning serving the masses. The principles of perspective, planning and relaxation are equally applicable to the service warriors, but the timing of perspective, planning and relaxation will need to be different.
I encourage all to start the process of renewal as the traditional holiday season gets started this week. Enjoy! Be Safe!
Next Blog Title: Happy Thanksgiving — A Gump Perspective
Next Blog Date: Thursday, November 26, 2010