Over the past month, I've been able to visit various facilities in the Central Plains region. Many members are going through the difficult summer stretch. Stifling heat, humidity, too much rain — or lack thereof — are ongoing battles in July and August.
Upon my visits, I've asked superintendents what they do to stay fresh and ready for the daily grind.
Here are a few examples:
- Taking a quick two-day break to attend a couple Major League Baseball games
- Fishing, both alone and with friends
- A quick two-day getaway with family
- Visiting friends in the industry to play golf, but staying away from the discussions of work
- Recharging by taking a couple of professional development classes online
- Becoming more active in chapter and industry activities
- Possibly becoming a GCSAA Grassroots Ambassador
This list is not intended to be all-inclusive. You may have unique ways and ideas to get away from the grind. I'd love to hear about those and possibly feature those in a future post. The most important part is to stay balanced.
A recent Forbes magazine article suggests that a key to balance may not be reducing the amount of work, but how you go about your daily activities. Here's a snippet:
To find reasonable harmony between work and life...focus less on reducing the hours worked and more on controlling when and how to work to more seamlessly mesh work with personal activities. On the personal front, keep life rather simple by focusing time and energy on family, friends and hobbies...eliminate or outsource (nearly guilt-free) activities that might be rightfully referred to as chores.
That can be more easily said than done. If you host a large event, or even a major club function at your facility keeping things simple sounds great, but is a challenge. Ultimately it's up to you to find that balance.
This is where your chapter and peers can be of assistance. I'm also happy to share stories on what successful superintendents do to stay on top of their game. The cycle continues. The days are getting shorter but your responsibilities continue. All the best the remainder of the summer!
Steve Randall
Director, Chapter Outreach
800/472-7878
