In the Jewish Leadership’s Dangoor Senior Leadership course, we were encouraged to slow down to speed up, in the sense that by sometimes living life at speed, we lose track of what is really important in our lives and work.

We can call this being mindful, or work-life balance, or any mixture of words, but what it does is helps us to process and reflect properly on what needs full thought.

I have for a few years now tried to slow down at set times of the year and I find this increasingly helpful, to view my life and work more clearly, and actually get more done.

In this blistering UK summer heat, where sleep often evades many of us, it feels like we are slowing to a complete stop. But that is ok too – we can still sit in the shade in a comfy chair, wallow in a cool bath, or do other things to keep well and productive.

I use this time of the year to gather my thoughts, plan ahead, and prepare for some of the busier times. Often, colleagues are away, so work is fractured, but it’s quite fun to do some housekeeping and knock things off the to-do list.

Whatever you are doing, enjoy the added vitamin D, refresh, replenish, and return with renewed vigour for the work ahead.