THE year is speeding along and you may already be looking forward to a holiday to relax and recharge.Or time may have galloped along so fast that you haven't even given much thought to that yet.

Whatever your budget, it's vital to have down time to avoid burn out. Looking at the tired faces of our politicians this week as they power through post election talks, we realize how important that is for good decisions.

While you are thinking about the rest side, maybe you can also give a bit of attention to recharge -of the creative kind.

Learning new skills for your career advancement isn't just about the technical stuff you need for the job.

Any new learning expands the mind and opens you up to new possibilities.

You can find surprising connections between seemingly unrelated areas that can help you deepen your capabilities. I remember once when attending a drawing class I was inspired by the instruction to “draw what you see, not what you think you see” and that is apiece of wisdom that often helps me in my coaching work.

So how about identifying something creative that you could try out this summer? The only rules are that it must be something you think you will enjoy and that you have ago with no particular expectation other than to have fun and stay open. It doesn't have to be a holiday or even a class or workshop. Maybe you'll simply want to go and wander round the city taking photos of buildings from unusual angles. And don't ignore body creativity! Trying out something different along the lines of yoga, pilates, reiki or even an Indian head massage can help quieten down the left brain chatter and allow your creative right brain to function more freely.

Feed your creativity this summer and your career will thank you!