I love work in the summer. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but since I’m not independently wealthy, a girl’s gotta work. And if you have to work like me, there should be a few things about your job you enjoy. Mine, my friends, is working in the summer.

A large portion of my job is coordinating the many events my organization runs throughout the year. There are a few that happen each month and four “big” events that occur throughout the year, all of which keeps me hopping. In the summer, we take a break from it all. I get a chance to organize, plan for the fall and in general, take a breather. It also helps that the office closes an hour earlier – making you feel like you really have the whole night ahead of you to enjoy.

This summer, my ‘break’ has allowed me to focus on three new programs we’re rolling out this fall and to be a part of them from the ground up. While my days are certainly busy, it’s a nice change of pace from the hustle of September through June. Now that August is coming to a close, I’m taking advantage of the last few weeks of my slow time to re-focus on the projects that need to be finished, prepare for the events that begin again next month and catch up on all those things I always say I’ll get to when it’s calm.

I think everyone needs some down time like this at work. If you go full out 24/7, 365, it’s a sure fire path to burning out. It seems like in the business world, summer is slow for all. People are on vacation, ducking out early for a round of golf or extending their lunches on a restaurant patio. I also know that for other industries, summer in Buffalo is a non-stop blur of action and you can’t wait until the first snowfall.

No matter when your downtime is, be sure to take advantage of it. The ability to refresh and catch up on whatever it may be that you need to catch up on is unparalleled. Being able to work so closely on new projects this summer has made me more creative in general. I’m able to look at current programs and come up with ways to shake them up and keep them fresh. If I was still running a million miles a minute I might miss some really cool opportunities – and that’s just not fun.

What’s your favorite time at work, and why? Is it your “slow” time that you look forward to all year long? Or, do you prefer to be in the thick of it and hope the quiet times pass quickly? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Better yet, maybe you’ll be kind enough to invite me to come see you in action during your favorite part of the work day (no – happy hour doesn’t count, but I’d love to come join you for that too!) for a future profile on the ‘Young Money’ blog.

(Header photo courtesy of Flickr / piervix)