6/22/2021 - By Tyler Otero

Has increased on/off-course play and doing more with less staff left many of you stressed? Exhausted, frustrated, confused, or all of the above? I can promise you you’re not alone in that feeling. Summer not only brings a lot of stress on the turf, it brings many more players to the course, and this paired with the increased turf upkeep is a perfect storm for a lot of undo stress for anyone working in golf.

With that being said, I thought this would be the perfect time to give anyone feeling stressed a nudge in the other direction. Away from all the stressors which may be bogging you down already, with a few recommendations toward the “life” side of your “work-life balance.” Because when it comes down to it, you and your family’s attention is more important than the grass.

Take some “me time”

This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just take some time to yourself. Not in three months, not this coming winter, but as soon as you can. What do I mean by “take some time?” Well, it will look different for each of you! For some it may mean 15 minutes of meditation in your office with your lights off. For others, it could be a whole weekend spent with your family, taking a little trip, or going to the beach.

Obviously picking an appropriate time is paramount, you wouldn’t want to take a weekend excursion in the middle of your local golf championship. However, the weekend following could be a great time to get away to decompress and take a breather. Like I said before, everyone’s “me time” is different, but the important thing is to take it when and as often as you can.

Trusting the process

Chances are that there is a pretty good system down on your course. The staff knows the procedures and how everything needs to function, all of the important applications are scheduled, and maintenance runs like clockwork. All this being said, unless an emergency pops up, you will be safe to take some time while the rest of the staff maintains the course for a bit. They all know what they are doing and if there are any hiccups which the other leadership on-course cannot solve themselves, then you can take a call and help them out. But otherwise you can rest easy and trust the process!

Some recommendations

As I mentioned earlier, spending time to yourself and with your family is critical and you should take this time as you can. I personally recommend scheduling a couple’s massage and/or pedicure, letting you relax and spend some quality time with your significant other all at once. It’s a win win!

Spending a day at the house is also a great way to unwind. Having nothing on the schedule, letting the day happen, and being more spontaneous than the usual packed day feels very freeing in comparison. There are so many ways to spend a day of free time!
Balancing work with everything else going on in your life is very important. You have to give quality time to both sides without undermining either of them, and the busy season is a challenge in that department. But it is not impossible! Work-life balance is key. Remember the importance of me/family time, trust the process of your crew at work, and make it an adventure. There are plenty of stressors in the summer, but there are plenty more opportunities for fun!