As your chargeable hours begin the steady uptick, it is naïve to think that you can take the the same mental and physical approach to busy season that you took to the interim months. Baseball players don’t use the same training methods in September that they did in spring training, and neither should you.
“Busy season resolutions” is a loose category of work/life balance techniques that either individuals or entire teams can adopt. Silly and pointless they may seem, but resolutions, however subconscious, can benefit everyone. Before beginning the discussion, let me share of few of my experiences.
I once worked on an engagement team that instituted a “6:00pm rule.” Every member of the team had the chance to go home at 6:00pm every Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Management worked with senior staff members to ensure a balance was reached, and the early departure was enforced. Granted, the rest of the week included nights until 10:00pm or later, but it was nice to know that I had one night during the week to run errands, have a meal that didn’t arrive in a plastic bag, and mentally unwind.
Another busy season client I had was led by a partner who organized one lunch a week that the team ate together in a boardroom. The only requirement: Minimal shop talk. Talk about your families, the March Madness tourney, anything – anything but work.
As we all know, it’s easy to accept the demanding schedule of busy season and forget about the importance of keeping the scale even remotely tipped a few degrees away from work and towards the life side. So I ask you – are you or your firm doing anything to make busy season more bearable?
Share your ideas – how is morale on your team? How does the season change your gym habits? What are you doing to prepare yourself for the always-improving job market in the months following busy season?
Do leave your comments, and as always continue to send us your tips.
I’m looking forward to the conversation. Look for a re-cap later this week.
Daniel Braddock, your friendly Human Resources Professional could very well be considered the hypothetical love child of Suze Orman and Toby Flenderson. Following his varsity jacket wearing college days, he entered the consumer markets as an auditor for a Big 4 firm in New York City. He spent three brisk years as an auditor before taking the reins of stirring the HR kool-aid. He currently resides in Manhattan. Daily routines include coffee breakfasts and scotch dinners. You can follow him on Twitter @DWBraddock.
