Athena Bulletin

By: Amber Siefer

Summer Happens...

Summer has a way of happening, whether we’re ready for it or not.

School is out. Calendars fill with camps, vacations, and community events, while family comes and goes throughout the day. Neighbors' dogs join your conference calls from outside. The living room becomes a summer headquarters for children and friends. And somehow, amid the unpredictability, meaningful work continues.

Earlier this month, we asked our LinkedIn community what summer was bringing to their workdays.

The responses made us smile – from pets staging keyboard takeovers to children becoming expert screen-time negotiators – it was clear that summer has a way of reshaping our collective days.

And that got us thinking – summer isn’t just another season on the calendar. It changes our routines, our priorities, and rhythms.

It’s a season that invites us to make space for adventure and appreciate more deeply the people and moments that make life meaningful. Schedules become more flexible – or perhaps a little more creative, and through it all, we’re reminded that behind every meeting invitation and project deadline is a person living a full and complex life.

Why We’re Here for It

The experiences that shape us outside of work often shape how we show up within it.

Summer has a way of reminding us that flexibility isn’t just about moving meetings around a calendar – it's about adapting when life happens. It’s recognizing that creativity often flourishes outside of predictable routines. It’s understanding that caring for family, spending time in nature, sharing laughter, or simply taking a break can help us return to our work with fresh perspective and renewed energy.

Perhaps most importantly, summer reminds us that these experiences aren’t distractions from meaningful work - they’re part of what makes meaningful work possible.  

At Athena, we believe our best ideas come from bringing our whole selves to the table. The experiences that make us better parents, grandparents, neighbors, volunteers, adventurers, and lifelong learners also make us better researchers, facilitators, collaborators, and partners.

Summer simply gives us a chance to notice that connection a little more clearly.

Join the Conversation

Our LinkedIn poll reminded us that we’re all navigating our own version of summer.

Follow us on LinkedIn where we will be sharing a series of posts over the next several weeks showcasing how our team members are living into their versions of summer. Whether your season includes camping trips, backyard adventures, sports, gardening, volunteering, pets supervising your video calls, or simply enjoying a slower evening outside, we hope you’ll follow along and join us in naming the moments that remind us - great work doesn’t happen separately from life, it happens because of the experiences, relationships, and adventures that help us grow.

That’s worth celebrating.

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Amber Siefer, MPA, is an applied researcher and community development professional with more than a decade of experience in senior management consulting, project management, and interdisciplinary research. She specializes in designing and leading participatory research, evaluations, and studies that address pressing public policy issues in partnership with organizations that serve the public.