#69 TRENDING IN Personal Growth 🔥

6 Simple Ways to Be More Productive This Summer

Personal Growth

July 22, 2022

After months and months of overwhelming assignments, tests, and projects, you finally have time to take a breath and enjoy a long break. Regardless of your personal goals and ambitions, summer break is the perfect time to pursue the interests that you don't have time for during the school year. This is not to say that parts of your summer shouldn't be spent lounging by the pool, traveling, and being with friends and family.

Summer burn-out is common and difficult to avoid. By implementing a few simple habits into your daily routine, you can easily maximize the free time on your hands and accomplish all the tasks that you set out for yourself to achieve.

1. Use A Planner

Managing and keeping track of all your commitments is no easy task. More importantly, finding the time to complete your many responsibilities is even more difficult. But, planners can help.

Taking the time to organize your day provides you with a sense of control, reducing any worries, anxiety, or stress. Utilizing a planner can also encourage you to work more efficiently, as you outline and understand your goals and objectives for a given day.

2. Limit Social Media Usage

If you're a teen who scrolls on their phone within just a few minutes of waking up, it may be time for a change. Bombarding yourself with notifications immediately in the morning can distract you from your goals for the day. Although it's unreasonable to completely cut social media out of your daily routine, reducing social media usage in the morning will help you stay on track.

Instead of turning to social media first thing in the morning, starting your day off strong with tasks such as making your bed will set you up for success.

3. Make Time For Exercise

Although a small task, working out can provide you with a sense of achievement. Finding the time to exercise does not need to be complicated. You can fit exercise into your routine by waking up a bit earlier or taking advantage of a quick break in your day.

Going to the gym or having access to expensive equipment is not needed for a successful workout. Even following a quick twenty-minute YouTube workout video can improve your mental and physical well-being.

4. Review Your Goals

Establishing goals for yourself, while important, is not always enough. It is crucial to constantly remind yourself of the goals you hope to achieve. Doing so will remind you of why you are going after your goals and will encourage you to stay focused.

Additionally, reviewing your goals will allow you to understand if you need to pivot. It's not very often that our initial ideas go as planned. That's why reflecting on your goals and your progress is vital to succeeding.

5. Don't Forget To Take Breaks

When working to achieve your goals, taking breaks can feel like a waste of time. But, taking time for yourself is just as important as your ambitions. Taking breaks can even incentivize you to spend your time more efficiently.

Let's say you're working on a difficult task that you have little motivation to complete. Knowing that you have a break soon can inspire you to finish the task at hand in a timely manner.

6. Prioritize Consistency

Consistency is key to staying organized. Creating a consistent bedtime schedule, for example, will allow you to fit more activities into your day, and as a result, get more done. But, it's easy for a consistent routine to turn repetitive.

Activities like working out, spending time with friends, or baking do not necessarily need to be planned out. Structuring some parts of your day is all you need to maximize productivity. For example, your consistent routine could include waking up at 9:00 am, working from 11:00-2:00, and then enjoying the rest of your day. Planning your day while still having room for spontaneous activities will keep your routine enjoyable and flexible.

Above all else, it is important to maintain a balance between work and relaxing this summer. You don't need to choose between productivity and a balanced routine. You don't need to sacrifice time for yourself and your well-being to be productive. Although it takes time, reaching a balance is possible.

Sophene Avedissian
100k+ pageviews

Sophene Avedissian is a sophomore in high school. She writes for her school newspaper, Spyglass, the Los Angeles Times High School Insider, and the Youth Civics Initiative. During her free time, Sophene enjoys reading, playing soccer, and spending time with family and friends.

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