Whether you have a job lined up for the upcoming summer break or twenty-four hours of free time that you want to fill in a way that doesn’t just involve scrolling through TikTok, these tips will help you fill your time purposefully. It’s important to note, however, that it’s okay to not push yourself to be productive all the time. Taking breaks can be incredibly important when it comes to productivity.
- Find a Schedule and Fill It
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Over quarantine, I only began to feel productive when I started crossing off tasks throughout the day. Feeling productive has a lot to do with emphasizing your accomplishments. Physically writing down everything you need to complete and checking off each task will make you really feel like you’ve completed it. This goes for even the most menial chores, such as folding your laundry or grabbing your mail.
- Try New Hobbies
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Try new hobbies until you find one that you want to keep pursuing. Finding new things to do can be time-consuming in and of itself.
When you find that thing you enjoy doing, even if you aren’t the best at it, spend your time practicing and improving! If you settle on sewing, you can try to complete a new project each week. If you decide on baking, you can try a new recipe every week or even every day.
- Clean Your Living Space Regularly
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One task that can always be checked off of a list is cleaning. Not everyone looks forward to it, but most people can agree it feels good to see their space in order. This is something that doesn’t have to be done daily, but it should be done consistently enough to become habitual. I personally suggest having a day dedicated to all of your cleaning so that you aren’t trying to squeeze it in between other hobbies you enjoy doing.
- What Makes You Feel Productive?
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Find what your answer is to the aforementioned question, and do it often! For me, it’s reading. If I read more than fifty pages in one day, I feel like I deserve a Nobel Prize.
The point I’m trying to get across is that there is no reason to do things that don’t positively impact your motivation. If it doesn’t make you feel good, continuing to dread a task instead of looking forward to the feeling of accomplishment it will bring means it isn’t worth it.
- Take Online Classes
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If teaching yourself new hobbies isn’t working for you, you can always learn from someone else; to continue to learn over the break, take classes at your school or online through websites such as Masterclass or Skillshare. Keep in mind, online courses through a university are going to provide more formal structure; online courses through Masterclass or Skillshare will require you to remain organized on your own.