The Spring 2024 semester has finally come to a close, and the anticipation for Summer break is up and buzzing. While summer break can be filled with fun trips and relaxation, it can also be littered with slumps of boredom and unproductiveness. I especially find myself vegging out during month-long breaks from school, from sleeping in through most of my mornings to mindless binge-watching on the TV. This dull feeling of unproductiveness often overshadows the buzz of joy we desire from our hard-earned summer break.
This past semester, I’ve been working on improving my productivity with small steps at a time through my habits. Rather than staying up late at night or sleeping in, I’ve been working on facilitating my sleep schedule. When done correctly, it deceives me into thinking that my days are longer so I have more time to do stuff that I love outside of school. With summer coming up, I want to continue to implement these habits in my life that will allow my body to become more accustomed to the system and hopefully continue to improve my productivity for future semesters to come.
That being said, here are 5 healthy habits that can help facilitate production over the break:
1. MANAGE YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE
While it can be tempting to use the freedom of summer break to stay up until 3am every night and sleep in through half the day, following a healthy sleep schedule throughout the summer can help with not only productivity, but establish a system for success for the next semester. While waking up at 6am everyday may not be for everyone, taking your time to prioritize a healthy 8 hours of sleep every night can be really refreshing and rewarding. I personally like to manage my sleep schedule through the bedtime function on my iphone that not only functions as an alarm, but also allows me to track the amount of sleep I get each night. By managing your sleep schedule in a healthy and effective way, your body can adjust to a sustainable rhythm, making it easier to stay productive throughout summer and beyond.
2. STAY ACTIVE
Just as it is tempting to sleep in all summer, it can also be tempting to veg out and stay in bed all day. While it is fine to take some days off to rest, it is important to keep your body active and moving. This can include waking up to morning yoga, going out for a walk in the sun, or even starting a new workout routine. By staying active every day and letting your body move, you can feel more motivated and productive during the long summer days.
3. TAKE A BREAK FROM THE SCREEN
I am a victim of falling into the trap of mindless binge-watching and endless screen time. While this can be fun, it can be mind-numbing and sometimes even demotivating. While I’m not going to cut my screen time over the summer completely, I will prioritize spending time away from the screen every day by doing something that I love. Finding a personalized hobby that you enjoy such as reading, writing, art, or even learning an instrument can not only provide a break from your phone but also healthily stimulate your brain. It can also be rewarding to witness your progress through your hobby as you work on it from the start to the end of summer.
4. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET
A healthy diet can mean something different for everyone. Personally, my goal is to continue to eat three meals a day and prioritize a healthy breakfast in the mornings. I noticed that when I prioritize taking care of my body through my diet, I feel more energized throughout the day. It is also important to stay hydrated, especially in the hot summer months. While this may sound trivial, it is just as important to stay hydrated as eating healthy, as it can help improve your sleep quality, cognition, and mood. It can be easy to forget to drink water, so having a set routine such as drinking a glass of water every hour or keeping your water bottle nearby to sip throughout the day can help regulate your hydration.
5. SET A ROUTINE
During summer break without a set class schedule, it can be easy to become disorganized and idle throughout the days. To combat this, I like to set routines to follow both morning and night, no matter if it’s a school day or not. In the mornings, I make sure to make my bed and follow my morning skincare routine. At night, I take my shower and take time to wind down for bed. By setting these routines, you can establish habits that can soon come automatically in your life, keeping you organized and motivated.
While not all the days may feel like the most productive day over the break, these habits can help facilitate motivation and prepare you to continue productivity in the fall. By working on these habits even just a little every day, you can find yourself building a lifestyle of productivity, one small step at a time.