Treat Yo'self.

If you're anything like me, multitasking is NOT your strong suit. I have tried and tried to develop multitasking as a skill, and you'd think that as a part of the Millennial Generation I'd be a pro at hopping from task to task, but more often than not I find that multitasking confuses and exhausts me. I much prefer to focus on one task at a time, working towards that task's completion (or at least to a good stopping point).

The problem, of course, is that the nature of my work - fast-paced, people-oriented advising and event planning - doesn't really allow for a "slow and steady wins the race" mentality. More often than not, I find myself juggling 3 or 4 assignments or requests at a time, then pause that work to speak with a student or co-worker, and then I come back to my desk to find 5 more tasks awaiting me. Although I very much enjoy my work, it's no wonder that I very often don't feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day; I hop from task to task so much that it feels like I only make baby steps toward the larger goal.

My shining moments, however, are days when the office is quiet, and I can really get to work, either zooming down my to-do list, eliminating task after task, or spending an entire morning or afternoon on just one project, focusing and trying to get into "flow" (for the curious, I highly recommend Mihalyi Czikszentmihalyi's TED Talk). I truly do feel happier and more productive when I am single-mindedly focused on just one thing at a time.

Although it's summertime and the workload and busyness are predicted to slow down for us education folks, I have found that this summer has been challengingly busy so far. Although the workday doesn't feel the same as it does during the school year (especially since I'm working magical hours - 9 am to 4 pm - as opposed to my usual 9- to 10-hour day), my days are still filled with meetings, discussions, and endless lists of tasks to get done. Shockingly, I find myself almost as exhausted at the end of these summer workdays as I do during the academic year. Unfortunately, summer is the perfect time to work on both short-term tasks and long-term projects, so burnout is something that I desperately need to avoid in order to be my most productive self.

So how can I slow the burnout?

Please note, I do not enjoy fire as much as Bellatrix Lestrange.

Knowing myself as I do, the surest way to rejuvenate my interest and energy is to find my "one project" on which I can focus. When I sat down at my desk this morning, I decided that my imminent and semi-urgent tasks on my to-do list can in fact wait until the afternoon; this morning will be spent working on a project that I enjoy and am passionate about (in this particular case, re-working my syllabus for the leadership class I'll be teaching in the fall). I will, without guilty feeling, focus for the entire morning on this project. Then, after lunch, I'll dedicate the rest of the day to crossing tasks off of the to-do list and fighting the small fires that erupt.

It's summertime, it's a Thursday, and life will go on. For now, I'm going to focus on something that gives me energy, and then I'll be able to bring that energy and interest back to my everyday work this afternoon and tomorrow.

I pose this question to you - what small decision can you make to fight your own summer burnout? How can you find ways to regain your energy, to "treat yo'self," as our good friends Donna Meagle and Tom Haverford say, so that you can continually bring your best energy to your work?