Summer: The Sweet Spot Between Rest and Readiness
- Dilek Süzal
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 1
Summer feels different, doesn’t it?
The pace slows. Meetings get postponed. And conflicting thoughts start to surface:
“I’ve earned this pause...”
“But I don’t want September to catch me off guard...”
If you're torn between fully relaxing and already feeling the urge to plan for fall, this is the perfect moment to do both! Keep it 50% relaxed, and 50% intentional. Because some of the best fall outcomes are shaped now in July and August.
Problem: Misreading the Season Many high achievers expect to operate at full capacity year-round, which causes guilt or burnout in summer. Then they get surprised when September feels chaotic and reactive. This isn’t a time to hustle harder. But it’s also not a time to switch off entirely.
Solution: Shift the Mindset, Set the Foundation Seasons change, so should your strategy. Aligning your work rhythm to seasonal energy boosts clarity, creativity, and long-term performance.
What if you could use these days also for a pause with mid-year reflection, strategic goal setting, and mental clarity?
Insight: A Powerful Framework from Sarah Glova
We usually set goals at the end of the year, right? But why wait?
Lately I came across Sarah Glova’ s TEDx Talk “How to Achieve Your Goals with a Single Page” where as a business journalist she shares a simple yet effective pattern she discovered after interviewing many people on her podcast. It’s a perfect reflection model for July: short, focused, and powerful.
She recommends that professionals, leaders and teams, need to get rid of the overcomplicated plans and instead answer five clear question and put them on ONE piece of paper:
1) What are your goals?
2) What are the key priorities that will move the needle?
3) What is the deadline for each milestone?
4) Who in your personal or professional community you can share them with?
5) Who is your accountability partner to support you when you feel stuck?
Whether you’re setting personal goals or laying the foundation for Q4 strategy as a team leader, this one-page method can help move ideas into motion with clarity and alignment.
3 Intentional Actions to Balance Ease and Progress
Here’s what I recommend to my clients, both individuals and team leaders, this time of year:
🔹 #1 - Honor the Slowness, use it Wisely
Summer has its own rhythm, and fighting it only drains your energy. Instead, lean into the calm. Let this slower pace give you space to think, reconnect, and reimagine.
Ask yourself: What does my fall season need in order to feel like success?
🔹 #2 - Start with December and Plan Backwards
Before the September chaos kicks in, take a quiet moment to zoom out.
Picture yourself in December: What are you proud of? What actually moved forward? Now, work your way back. What do you need to set in motion now, in July or August, to get you there?
🔹 #3 - Schedule Now, While There’s Room
If you’re leading a team, this is the moment to plan your fall learning & development initiatives.
Whether it’s performance coaching, leadership development or team building workshops, clear planning in summer creates momentum from September.
📩 Let’s Co-Create Your Next Season!
I’m currently collaborating with companies designing their fall workshops and coaching professionals who want to realign and refocus before the busy season begins.
Let’s start planting the seeds now for a successful fall and year-end. Book a free call below to explore how!
Warmly,
Dilek
Official Collaboration Partners:
★ Lead Coach at the global coaching platform BetterUp based in USA.
★ Executive Coach and Trainer at SparkUs based in Turkey and Netherlands.
★ Impact Partner for coaching, training & facilitation projects at leadership experts Think Beyond Group based in Austria.
★ Leadership Coach at Percoms AG, based in Switzerland.
Click to Book Other Sessions:
