It’s that time of year again— the dog days of summer– when all you really want to do (depending on your tolerance for humidity) is to lie outside in a deck chair, or inside on a sofa in air conditioned splendor, and drink something out of a tall glass containing lots of ice.

I’m here to say don’t do it.

Because even though the Romans believed the Dog Days to be an evil time during which “the Sea boiled, the Wine turned sour, Dogs grew mad, and all other creatures became languid.” (According to Brady’s Clavis Calendaria, 1813.) I think there’s a way to make them profitable.

“How?” you ask. By channeling your inner dog (Feel free to pick your own breed.) Here’s how:

Sniff Around: If you’ve been considering a career switch or job change now’s the time to sniff around at other opportunities that have been beckoning. Since summer is generally a time when things are slow at the office, make a few calls, have a few lunches, have an informational interview, set up some meetings.

Get Your Teeth Into It: Do you have a large project that you’ve been dreading? A client meeting that you’ve been avoiding? A certification opportunity that you’ve been loathe to schedule? Now’s the time to belly up to it. If you find you’re continuing to procrastinate, identify how it’s manifesting, then put a deadline in your calendar for the end of the dog days (according to the Romans, August 24th) and work backward from there.

Pee on It: (Yes, I wrote that- you aren’t seeing things.) Now is the time to lay claim to your promotion. If that seems ridiculous, consider this: in 100 days it will be November 1st— generally a time of reviews, with bonuses right around the corner. To ensure you get what you want and deserve, you need to start now. For more Do’s and Don’ts on that click here.

Happy trails!

Frances Cole Jones