Responsible Professionals make things happen.

They don’t just let things happen. They put forth the effort to plan and prepare beforehand. It’s fundamental to being effective and successful. They know that just letting things happen is a sure way to be unhappy, stressed and miserable.

A Reminder To Plan

Last fall, I wrote a Monday Message about equating your professional career to an athletic career. One of the comparisons had to do with establishing a “cooldown period.” Just as athletes structure a cool down after their activity, so professionals must take seriously their need to cool down after a long intense season.

Not A Good Plan

Hopefully, your plan isn’t to leave the day after an important deadline with your 4 kids under the age of 7 for a 9-hour drive to somewhere. While it may sound doable, it’s not a good idea. Conversely, I hope your plan isn’t to sleep in, then retire to the couch and veg until it’s time to go to bed that night. Neither of these approaches remotely represent a healthy cooldown period.

A Better Plan

Instead, plan now for a cooldown period that will be effective and helpful. Make arrangements and put them on your schedule now, beforehand (aka, plan). Here are some researched activities to accelerate your recovery.

• Low impact movement. Stretch out and go for a walk outside, leaving your phone behind. It’s about relaxing in a natural environment without any cognitive energy being expended.
• Healthier and moderate meals. You already know what you should and shouldn’t eat.
• Get engaged in something of interest. Distracting your mind to something you enjoy will shift your mind and body into self-regulation. Read a book. Get back into your hobby. Cook or bake a favorite recipe.
• Be intentional with relationships. Being busy and preoccupied will strain any relationship. Make intentional efforts to do things to restore your important connections.

Plan Now

Coming off of an intense busy season requires an intentional cooldown period, much like an athlete after a strenuous event. If you make specific plans for your cooldown period, you will recover much quicker. If you don’t and leave it up to the whim of the moment, you won’t leave the couch. You’ve got a long, enjoyable career ahead of you, so be a responsible professional and make things happen.