Want to know a little secret? Summer is not, well, pleasant for me.

Don’t get me wrong! I love spending extra time with my children, the vacations, hanging with out of town visitors among other things.

Working parents have several balls in the air during the school year. When summer comes, those spherical objects spin and a multiply. Heck ~ I dream about them.

In addition to keeping my family’s schedule straight, as a small business owner, I am also managing my team’s vacation schedule and filling in the gaps where needed. Even rockers need vacations!

Here are some things for working parents to rely on during the month of August:

1. Camps – Even if it is one from 1-4 p.m., sign that boy or girl up.
2. Helpers – Full time babysitters, part time college helpers, couldn’t get through this chaos without them. I have three and only two kids. No joke.
3. Friends – Ditto. They help with the shuttle to and fro, the additional activities to keep the kiddos entertained and they are your go to for that much needed GNO.
4. Family members – Make the call. Most often than not, they want to help and spend time with your children without you around.
5. Your colleagues – Amazing how helpful they can be in a pinch if you just ask.
6. Exercise – It changes your mood and increases metabolism.
7. Mindless activity – Read a trashy novel, do the dishes, watch TV ~ I am currently obsessed with The Good Wife and watch an episode every night before I say nigh nigh. Already plowed through these this summer: Homeland, House of Cards, Revenge and Scandal. Started on episode one, season one on all of them.
8. Positive thinking – Think half full. Always. Being an optimist reduces your stress and is better for your overall health and well being.
9. Healthy eating – How do you feel after eating fast food? Nuff said.
10. Sleep – It is non-negotiable. We need seven to nine hours to be productive.
11. Music – It can have a powerful effect on mind and body far beyond its ability to promote relaxation and stress relief according to Dr. Andrew Weil.
12. To do list (Mine is a ta da list) – Hit the ground running in the mornings with focus and a list of tasks at hand. Here’s a great article to how to make yours effective.

Only a couple of weeks before school starts. You can do it!

It is all rockin’ on the porch!

team

noun

: a group of people who compete in a sport, game, etc., against another group

: a group of people who work together

: a group of two or more animals used to pull a wagon, cart, etc.

²team

adjective

: of or performed by a team <a team effort>; also : marked by devotion to teamwork rather than individual achievement <a team player>

verb

: to bring together (two people or things)

This past week marked the first team retreat for Front Porch Marketing. Led by our Chief Rocker, our event was an inspiring forum for creativity, innovation, processes and process improvement (oh, and world domination).

It made me ponder a little bit about what teams look like in today’s business environment.

As you can see from the definitions above, the word “team” is a noun, adjective or verb. But, what does that mean to us?

There are huge benefits in working as a team. When teams work well, each member feels they are contributing towards a shared goal. The shared knowledge and camaraderie forges (or frays) are the ties that link us together.

There is also a shared accountability for the success or failure of each project.

But, what do teams look like today? By definition, all of us are part of a team of some sort. For small businesses, there is an ebb and flow to the group. Some work in virtual teams, i.e. depending on the goal, project or time of year, individuals or groups come in and out of a project/initiative/account. This creates an efficient working structure and high value to the customer/client.

Whatever your team looks like, just remember – we’re all in it together!