It used to be that the summer months were a time for restoration because things slowed down. Life wasn’t as hectic. You could power down a bit and not lose any ground. Enjoy the weather, the family, the downtime. You could acknowledge and be thankful for your good fortune.

But not so much today. I’ve heard from too many professionals that the summer months aren’t any slower than other seasons. The workload is nearly as stacked as in the busiest of weeks.

Restore Yourself

All this means you can’t rely on the summer to restore your sanity, your focus and your energy. You have to learn to restore yourself in the midst of your work. But how? The answer is in your control.

It’s a matter of periodically checking in with your emotional state to assess your condition. If you are energized, you’re doing well, able to push through the situation. On the other hand, if you feel depleted, your attitude will sour and your energy will drain from you.

The point is that you can be swamped with work and still be energized just as easily as being depleted. Being swamped isn’t the significant factor. What decides your emotional state is your perspective–your sense of gratitude.

Manage Your Perspective

Your perspective then, is what you must manage. And the best way to manage your perspective is to experience gratitude. I love the quote by the great philosopher, Willie Nelson, when he said, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

When you express gratitude, your brain’s neuro circuitry takes paths that activate the production of dopamine. Your brain pumps out this neuro-chemical to create a natural high and motivates you to experience it more.

Be Grateful

Try it. Begin at this moment and assess your sense of gratitude. Are you thankful for your job, your work, the opportunities and the people invested in your development and success? If not, why not? I’m sure you don’t feel entitled. Like the universe owes you something. Not likely. You just forget that you have good fortune to be thankful for.

Make a note of what you are grateful for and be thankful. Feel the endorphin rush and enjoy the moment. Then throughout the day, and then the week, repeat. Don’t be distracted by things that aren’t right. Focus on what is your good fortune and be thankful. At the very least, you can appreciate and thank others for their work and their efforts, even though it’s their job anyway. Then enjoy the flood of dopamine course through your brain.

This is how 21^st century professionals restore themselves.