It’s that weirdly exciting time, where the end of the school year is near, the long stretch of summer is waiting for us, and holiday celebrations are thrown in the mix just for good measure!
But we say ‘weirdly’ exciting because it can also be a time when we feel like we should be getting more done than we are!
Whether you’re finishing the school year and looking ahead to new pursuits or stepping up into the next year or level of studies – there’s always something to be thinking about and wondering whether you’re prepared enough!
We’re big fans of what we call the Three Rs when it gets to this time of year:
- Reset
- Recharge
- Rev-up!
It’s all about finding balance, and the Three Rs can help you do just that!
What are the Three Rs?
1. Reset
A reset can mean many things, but essentially it’s your opportunity to think about everything you’ve achieved in the past year, what goals you didn’t quite reach, and what you want to focus on in the year ahead.
See this as your planning phase – and have fun with it! Some fun activities to include in a reset could be:
- Setting some goals: Goals are a great way to get clear on what you want to achieve and can really help you stay motivated! Psychology research has shown we are more likely to achieve the things we want when we set ourselves clear and attainable goals. As part of your reset, reflecting on what you want in the year ahead is a great way to get started
Top tip: See the end of this blog for a little SMART Goals worksheet to help you on your way!
- Get some feedback: If you’re not sure what your focus, aims or goals should be in the year ahead, we can guarantee there are lots of people around you who can offer some excellent guidance. Parents, teachers, siblings and friends – ask them what they think you should focus on for the new year. Their answers might be silly, serious or surprising – but we bet they’ll definitely give you lots to think about!
- Creating a vision board: You could do this digitally using something like Pinterest or grab a stack of old magazines and get crafty! Basically, think about what you want to achieve in the next year, and collate a bunch of visual images that connect to those goals. A vision board works best if you can put it somewhere you can see every day – that might be a poster in your room or a screensaver on your phone.
We highly recommend you get started on your reset now!
That way, when your summer break arrives, you’ll already have some good ideas on how you’re going to maximise this time and what you’d like to start working on.
2. Recharge
Ahhhh. Summer! The best time of year for lazy days at the beach, chilling out with your mates, maybe a road trip or vacation with the family – good times!
Or you might just sloth it out in your bedroom, playing video games, reading, drawing, making TikToks – whatever you fancy!
When we reach this time of year, it’s super important to take a break – but remember, it’s all about balance!
Some research has pointed out that ten days is the optimum amount of time to take for total relaxation – less than this and we don’t fully relax, more than this and we either start to feel anxious (which undoes all the great relaxation we’ve done) or we stop feeling the benefits of relaxing!
Good to know and keep in mind when planning your recharge time!
3. Rev-up!
Now you’ve done some reflecting, thinking and planning and given yourself a proper break – it’s time to rev-up into some action!
Your rev-up actions should be connected to whatever might have come out of your reset. This will be individual to you and what you’d like to start achieving now and in the new year.
It might include:
- Researching your top three career pathways
- Updating your resume and cover letter
- Applying for some part-time work, work experience, or internships
- Supporting your community through volunteering
- Researching possible academic pathways for your future.
- Joining (or starting!) a social group or activity you’re interested in.
- Working on some academic or educational goals, ready for the new school year.
Be realistic and take on what feels manageable. It’s better to do a few things really well and feel great about them, rather than taking on too much and not being able to achieve what you want.
Where to Next?
That’s entirely up to you!
We don’t want to tell you how to spend your time, but we also know it’s easy to get lost this time of year. Having a little bit of structure and balance can definitely help you to set yourself up for some success in the new year ahead!
So, if you’re game, why not try a little Reset, Recharge and Rev-up this summer holiday?
Get SMART With Your Goals! Worksheet
Sometimes our goals fall to the wayside, get forgotten, and are never achieved! If you’re anything like us, SMART can help!
You might have already come across this acronym at school but you can use it for any goal you like!
First of all – Think of a goal you’d like to achieve:
| MY GOAL IS:
|
Now here’s how to get SMART with that goal:
SPECIFIC
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but to achieve a goal, it helps to be specific about what you want to achieve.
Vague: Find a job.
Specific: Create a resume to help me find a part-time job in hospitality.
| Re-write your goal to be SPECIFIC:
|
MEASURABLE
Now, you need to think of something to measure your goal against, so you have something to work towards to signal you’ve ‘achieved’ your goals.
Unmeasured: Apply for jobs.
Measured: Apply for ten entry-level jobs this month in the hospitality industry.
| Create a MEASURABLE component to meet your goal:
|
ACHIEVABLE
This one is super important. One of the main reasons we fail with our goals is because we set lofty targets that simply aren’t achievable. We fall short and as a result, feel pretty rubbish. Making goals achievable helps you stay motivated.
Unachievable: Apply for 100 jobs this week.
Achievable: Apply for three relevant, entry-level jobs this week.
| Make your goal ACHIEVABLE:
|
RELEVANT
Here’s where you can get into some nitty-gritty. It’s all well and good setting a goal that’s Specific, Measurable and Achievable, but if it isn’t connected to the longer-term vision or even the current vision you have for what you’re building, then it’s not going to help you.
Irrelevant: Apply for part-time jobs to earn some money for now.
Relevant: Book an appointment with career advisor to discuss pathway options for my dream career.
You can have a relevant career-focused goal alongside your goal of finding part-time work.
| What’s a RELEVANT goal you could also focus on:
|
TIMELY
Lastly, you need to set a timeframe for your goal.
Untimely: Apply for part-time jobs whenever I feel like it.
Timely: To find a part-time job by March, I need to update my resume and start applying for jobs in January.
| How do you make your goal TIMELY?
|
Using SMART to write out your goals is a process of clarifying your goals to stay accountable and achieve them.
Every goal you develop should align with this process – it might feel awkward or long-winded at first, but you might be surprised at how effective it is!
