Six Ways to Stay Productive during Your Summer Vacation

By Anna Krelovich
Special Contributor, Online Learning Tips

Summer is quickly approaching and with it come thoughts of beach vacations and ice cream runs. It can be difficult to stay productive and focused on school or work tasks if you daydream about lounging on a hammock by the ocean.

But the summer can actually be a great time for college students to stay productive and work toward their future. Here are six different ways to maintain focus and stay productive in summer:

1. Write Down Your Goals: Without the constraints of classes to keep you on task, it is important to think about what you actually need to achieve. Simply writing down the three top things you want to accomplish by the end of the summer makes you more motivated to work for them. Also, writing down three daily tasks each morning can help you maintain productivity day to day.

2. Spend Time Outside: If sunny days have you distracted, why not put up an umbrella and lounge on your porch as you read a book or write on your laptop? Not only does this get you out of the indoor environment you’re used to working in, but you also reduce your stress and put yourself in a better state to work.

3. Write Down What You Want to Be Doing: While working, you may feel the sudden urge to text your friend about dinner plans, peruse Amazon or run out to grab a cold smoothie. Instead of immediately acting on those impulses, write them down and schedule breaks when you will tackle those tasks on your list.

You’ll spend less time dawdling because your actions are intentional. You may even realize that some of your impulses weren’t important in the first place.

4. Clean Up Your Inbox: As summer school and work slow down, take advantage of your slow inbox traffic and delete old emails. Scrolling back to the unread newsletters from last October can be a tiring task, but the satisfaction of watching the number of emails in your inbox drop from 3,000 to 100 is unmatched.

5. Take an Exercise Class: Being out of school means you have less structure to your days. You could find yourself becoming lazier as you promise yourself you’ll only watch one more episode of your favorite show. Signing up for a Zumba or cycling class gives your schedule more structure and makes you get up and move, instead of spending your days lounging on the sofa.

6. Set Aside Time for Achieving Your Goals: As tempting as it may be to sleep until noon and then spend the day perched in front of the TV, it is important to set aside time to address your summer goals. Designate two hours a day when you are committed to sitting at your computer and doing something productive.

You will be amazed all that you can achieve. Not only will you accomplish your goals, but you’ll actually earn that inevitable relaxation time that awaits you.

Ultimately, summer is a time to relax. While it is important to remain productive and accomplish goals, it’s okay to take a break after a grueling year of classes and work. You deserve it.