Dear Together Friends, Fans, and Family,
I’ll admit I am a little bit jealous of those of you back in the swing of things already, because here in the mid-Atlantic we’re still a few weeks away from school starting. But no matter where you are in your Big Back-To-School Energy, I am sending you all the fresh notebook vibes.
Speaking of seasons shifting, in a recent interview for an upcoming Together Tour (check out our recent tours here, here, and here), I had the opportunity to talk to a nonprofit leader about the concept of seasonal planning, and I realize I often think about this instinctively.
Right now, I’m on the final four weeks of a 12 Trips in 12 Weeks Together Teaching Tour, and almost immediately when it started – in mid-May – I realized I was starting to feel a bit itchy. Like my typical Together approaches (Asana + Outlook + graph paper Post-It) were not going to serve me in this Summer Season. My itchiness was manifesting because Post-It Notes were becoming reactive (I love a Post-It but only for Proactive Purposes), I was moving too many tech adapters between travel bags, and I was feeling very behind. Like I was wearing clothes that didn’t fit! Here is what was going through my brain.
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I needed to be a little more mobile because I was literally moving between trains, planes, and automobiles. I needed something right at my digital fingertips and Asana’s mobile version is only so-so.
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I also needed to zoom out to a higher altitude than the view my Outlook calendar and Asana tasks were getting me. (Shakes fist in wonder why digital calendars have not yet started to give us a better bigger picture monthly overview?!)
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I needed to deeply consider my energy levels between travel surges of both personal and professional travel. I had to think about time zone shifts and long drives and what would be sustainable for me.
And so, I created this document:
And I also started using Apple Notes for super-quick on-the-go stuff – mostly because I like their emojis – but I also found it met my need for immediate digital access while on the move.
This got me thinking: are there certain seasons when you need to shift your Togetherness? And can you anticipate when they are and what you need? Examples I can think of in my own life are two rounds of parental leave, heavy travel, PD days, etc. The point of Togetherness is not rigid adherence but rather, the ability to adapt and let your Togetherness serve you. Perhaps you feel a Togetherness Itch during the following times:
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Budget season
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Heavy hiring season
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A season where you are doing more “making” than “managing”
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A week of facilitation
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A week of travel (personal or professional)
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Parent conference week
And, add your own examples to the list! Anyway, creating this Summer Season Together document really helped me maintain energy when I could see a break on the horizon, or a client dinner to look forward to. . . while saving the day-to-day details for my Apple Notes!
#togetherforever #clipboardsandclogs
Maia
PS Ana and I will be at Teach For America’s 35th Birthday Party in Vegas in early October repping as vintage alumni (00 Houston for Ana, 99 SLA for me!). Probably wearing our fanny packs and T-shirts that say, “The more planned you are, the more flexible you can be!” ANYWAY, we are contemplating a possible little informal meet up for those in the Together Universe where you can tell us your best Together Tools and Tales. Fill out a quick form here to let us know if you are interested.
PPS Due to an annoying rotator cuff injury (swimmer problems), I’ve been back in the Together Trail Running game, and I forgot how much I love racing through woodsy trails. Something about having to pay serious and deep attention to roots and twists and turns is totally fun for me! Dr. Together, who ran cross country for Arkansas, joined my most recent race, and we both managed to not get injured! I see more of this in my future!
PPPS If you enjoyed this month’s Together Tips, please forward to a friend or colleague (or three) and encourage them to sign up to receive it in their own inbox each month! We are at 30,000+ subscribers and counting, and people frequently cite it as a fun and helpful read each month.
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Do you need a Scrolly Chair? I’ve been Bricking at 8 PM, and I’m mostly into it. To stay present and avoid the doom scroll, another idea is to create a space (or assign a scrolly chair) for unfettered phone use. In our house, it’s called the Phone Zone. (You may remember, I created a painter’s-taped-off box on the ground in my kitchen, and the whole family has to stand there to do any phone business.)
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Mid-year checkpoint, if you’re into it. We’re now more than halfway through 2026, if you observe this kind of thing. If you joined me in my quest to map out 2026, now is a great time to do a mid-year check and make any necessary adjustments to your plan. PS We are considering hosting an Event-Mapping Community Session in the late fall to help you plan your upcoming year! Write us here if you would you be interested.
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Speaking of mid-year checkpoints, what about a mid-year reset? Having worked in education for so long, I often feel like there are two starts to the year – January and September. With that in mind, a September Reset could be a great opportunity to set some new goals or even start a new hobby!
