Summer Survival Guide for High Performers
Who Also Happen to Be Human
A Summer Revisit
I first wrote this last summer, but as I looked at my June calendar this week, I realized I needed the reminder again. Perhaps you do too.
For all the high performers trying to balance work, family, travel, relationships, and a little fun, here’s a summer survival guide with a few new tweaks.
One of my favorite summer memories: Torch Lake Sandbar with daughter, Jeaneen and grandson, Connor
Congratulations. You’ve made it to June.
Your inbox is overflowing, your calendar is packed, and summer has arrived with its own set of demands—vacations to plan, family to enjoy, and memories you'd rather not miss.
You’re under pressure to:
Maintain quarterly performance,
Show up for water balloon fights,
Grill the perfect steak,
And maybe—just maybe—fan the flame of your romantic life (or light a new match if you’re single and optimistic).
Pro tip: You don’t have to crush everything at once. This isn’t a triathlon—it’s more like an obstacle course... with sunscreen in your eyes.
Your Executive Summer Playbook:
1. Schedule joy like a board meeting.
If it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. Look at what’s already booked. Then ask yourself: What’s missing that would truly give me joy?
Torch Lake, Michigan
When we were raising my daughter, we had an annual July 4th all-cousins gathering at our northern Michigan farm on Torch Lake. I can still see three-year-old Julia sitting in the garden, peeling peas straight from the pod. Grampa boiled the water while someone ran to harvest the corn. I wouldn’t change a thing about those magical trips.
Looking back, I do wish we had carved out a few more couple-only adventures. As working parents, it was easy to convince ourselves there wasn't enough time or money. But seasons pass quickly.
But really—don’t you make the impossible happen every day at work?
Imagine what it models for your children when they see their parents prioritizing time together. They’ll feel the shift. The spark. And that matters.
As for adventure? A client of mine Zoomed in from an RV, clearly integrating work, family, and fun. It can be done.
2. Redefine success—for a season.
Sometimes, “crushing it” means keeping the kids alive, your team focused, and not snapping at your partner in the airport security line.
Ask yourself:
What does a successful summer look like for me/us this year?
How do I define summer fun?
What’s a magical summer memory I want to rekindle—or create for the first time?
How does my family define fun, and what memories do we want to make together?
What is one thing I want people I love to remember about me this summer?
3. Say yes to joy.
Ice cream with your daughter is strategy.
A long walk without your phone? Leadership development.
What simple ways can I disconnect from work, devices, and stressors?
What do I want more of in my life?
How can I start living into that—this summer?
Our family summer gathering at the Torch Lake Weeman family farm
4. Reconnect.
With your people. With nature. With yourself.
It might do more for your Q3 goals than another Zoom call.
Who are the most important people I need time with? How can I make that happen this summer?
What does my team need for relief and support right now?
5. Laugh often.
Your beach body is fine.
Your parenting is fine.
Your leadership is (mostly) fine.
Lighten up.
Even high performers need time to float.
So take the break. Make the memory. Watch the fireflies.
The work will still be there when you get back.
But this summer will not.
The conversations on the porch. The family dinner that runs long. The walk on the beach. The child who still wants to tell you every detail of their day. The grandchild who wants one more walk. The friend you've been meaning to call. The spouse who would love an uninterrupted evening together.
Success is important. So are the people you’re working so hard for.
Make the memory. Take the trip. Watch the fireflies.
Summer is shorter than you think.
Whether you’re raising children, enjoying grandchildren, building a business, caring for aging parents, or discovering new freedoms in this season of life, summer is an invitation.
Not to do more.
To notice more.
To savor more.
To remember what all the striving is for.
Here's to a summer well-lived. ☀️