Do you remember the excitement of the summer holidays when you were a child?
It wasn’t so much where you were going but the fun you were anticipating having.
Whether or not you have kids, wouldn’t it be great to capture that ‘schools out’ feeling anywhere you are this summer and maximise the fun times?
Holidays can be stressful – right!? But let’s not dwell on that, instead let’s focus on how to get that ‘schools out’ feeling and make it last right through the holiday season.
Schools out for summer
Not every holiday season will have been filled with happy memories or wall to wall sunshine (especially if, like me, you live in Scotland). However, some parts of some holidays will probably stand out as being memorable for various reasons.
I have wonderful memories of camping under the stars in Gairloch, walking to ancient standing stones on the Isle of Arran and floating in the sea in Menorca.
Here at Behaviour Works we’ve been discussing how to make sure this year’s holiday season is the best yet for you (whatever the weather). Using a process, rather than choosing actions to take because it seemed like a good idea at the time, is key to making change happen and getting the most out of the holiday season.
7 steps to fun in the sun
Clarify
Get those old holiday photos out and use them to trigger memories of why you took them. What were you doing and feeling at the time?
Remind yourself why you want this holiday to feel as good as you felt in those photos.
2. Wish
What’s your wish for this holiday season – do you want to feel relaxed, happy, chilled, energised, inspired?
3. Focus
What could you do to recreate that feeling?
Write a specific positive statement with phrases like ‘I will’, ‘I have’, or ‘I am’, use a ‘doing’ word and include a timescale and measurable criteria.
The best way to think about wording these behaviours is to think ‘if someone else was watching me what would they say I was doing’?
For example, I am enjoying the fresh air, I am camping in Gairloch, I am walking to standing stones etc.
4. Impact
Which of those things you would like to do (or feel) would make the biggest impact and easiest to do this holiday season?
5. Commit
Think about who, what, where, when, why, how, with whom you are going to do that big impact/easy to do thing with.
Write a commitment postcard to yourself to make you feel accountable.
6. Understand
What needs to change to make that happen
a. Capability – do you need some more (or different) information or skills to be able to do it?
b. Opportunity – do you need some more (or different) resources or support from other people to be able to do it?
c. Motivation – remember your ‘why’ from Step 1 and focus on this to ensure it happens.
7. Take Action.
Get ice-cream licklingly organised to have the best ‘schools out’ feeling holiday season yet.
Let us know in the comments below what kind of holiday you are planning.
Best wishes
Behaviour Works aim is simple. To help make change happen in your personal, family or working life. Every week we help people across the world with their own change journey with our online training. Check us out at Behaviour Works.
Beach huts Photo by Grant Durr on Unsplash
Pineapple Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. on Unsplash
