What Lifeguarding Taught Me

Written by Dr. Holly Ward, PhD

How a summertime job instilled lessons I’ve relied on throughout my career.

As the temperatures rise with the onset of summer in the South, so too do my childhood summertime memories resurface: languid days spent playing games of our own invention, roving the neighborhood to round up a crew for baseball in the yard, and seeking bodies of water to throw ourselves into for relief from the humid Southern heat. When dusk fell, we caught lightning bugs in jars and gorged ourselves on watermelon hefted out of backyard gardens. My pursuits in those stretches of time between the end of one school year and the beginning of another gave way from the eager idleness of younger kids to more industrious ventures. Like many teens seeking freedom, individuation, and the money that could bring us closer to both, I had a summer job.

I picked lifeguarding as my summertime occupation, and I did so strategically: sun, water, and people-watching were the perfect combo in my book. I made it seem like “hard work” to my younger brothers, who were working sweaty construction jobs instead. But in reality, it was one of my favorite jobs of all time. I credit those summers with teaching me invaluable life lessons in how to be a professional, even though the suit I wore then was of the swim variety. So while the peak summer heat has us all moving a little slower, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on those lessons I learned in my lifeguarding days and share them with you:

• Punctuality
  When someone expects you to be somewhere at a particular time, they are depending on you to be there. Most days, I opened the pool. So if the pool opened at 9:00am, that not only meant that I was opening the gate at nine on the dot, it meant that I was there early to get everything ready in order to open the pool on time. If I was late, it would reflect poorly on my boss, who did not appreciate looking bad in front of his boss. Another lifeguard learned how vital punctuality is the hard way: she was late too often and lost her job as a result. Thanks to those early summer mornings, I developed a deep appreciation for dependability and how important maintaining punctuality is for people to decide to continue to rely on you.

• Responsibility
  From cleaning the pool to stacking up the lounge chairs, my lifeguard responsibilities were many and varied. However, the most important responsibility was the one behind the name “lifeguard:” to stay vigilant, diligent, and make sure everyone was safe. Most days were filled with asking kids to not run on the pool deck, not to dive in the shallow end, and not to jump off the diving board too close to the side. Each whistle-blowing instance could feel like an inconsequential blip in the grand scheme of the day, but paying attention to the safety of children was paramount as a lifeguard. Being responsible in all those small moments had the huge impact of protecting people’s lives around the water.

• Work Ethic
  My parents had already laid much of the groundwork for my work ethic, and I was fortunate to have many skills in place to carry over into my poolside workplace. Work ethic is a standard of behavior and beliefs regarding what is expected of you to do at work. People with a strong work ethic are reliable, dedicated, productive, cooperative, and self-disciplined. A strong work ethic ensures that you get the job done correctly and that you are willing to do more than what is in the job description. You care about doing the job the very best way you can and are willing to make sacrifices to ensure the job is done. This trait has stayed with me throughout my career, from early mornings setting out lounge chairs to taking extra care with all my clients today.

• Valuing Differences
  We spend much of our time growing up surrounded by our family and school friends. Going off to work means we will interact with different people from different backgrounds with different ideas. We are exposed to new ways of thinking, communicating, and different values. I worked as a lifeguard at a country club, where I was exposed to a different lifestyle than what I had experienced growing up. It challenged me: first, to understand differences, and then to learn not to judge those differences. It is a life lesson that I continue to work on and expect to develop throughout my entire life.

• The Value of a Dollar
  At the pool, I clocked in each day, and every hour added up to my paycheck. Minimum wage seemed like a lot, but after taxes, gas, and food, I didn’t always have as much as I had expected. My parents prudently allowed me to use my money to buy what I wanted, which in turn taught me a great deal. I made some wise choices, but more often I did not. However, I learned from this and developed a better sense of what a dollar is worth and learned how to make financial decisions that reflect my values and priorities.

All these lessons I learned as a lifeguard have remained with me throughout my work life. The “practice” summer job helped me to prepare for the “real” jobs I have today. Reflecting on these experiences helps me consider how these lessons have served me in the past and present, and how I would like to continue to apply them in the future. I always find that these learnings are still very relevant. I have learned so much from all my different experiences, and hope to continue to learn moving forward, no matter what time of year.

Although I have to say, summertime is still one of my favorite times of the year!