Summer Procrastination: How to Avoid It This Year
Every summer break I had great plans. I was going to work out every day, paint my condo, read all those teaching books I meant to read, travel to new places, plan the first month of the school year. Oh yeah, and sleep.
When summer ended, I had rarely accomplished all those things on my (wish) list. Summer procrastination had hit hard. I found that things that required advanced planning, such as traveling, got done. But some of the others, just didn’t. Especially, if it wasn’t the most fun thing in the world.
Has this ever happened to
Don’t let summer procrastination get the best of you! Whether you’re working on a summer assignment, revamping your classroom procedures, or just really need to get that living room painted, I’ve got some tips to get you started today!
How to Beat Summer Procrastination This Year
List It
Doesn’t matter if it’s Day 1 or Day 60 of summer. Make a list of what you need to accomplish. Divide the list into “Must Do” and “Would Like To.” That summer assignment definitely goes under Must Do, but that new chocolate chip cookie recipe is a Would Like To.
Check Your Planner
If you’re like me, the summer isn’t quite as lazy as it seems. There are doctor appointments, camp, work, vacation, and birthday parties. In other words, my planner is still pretty full.
If you stopped using your planner when school ended, open it back up and start on this week’s page. Don’t have a planner? You can print out my free planner pages or check ou
Plan It
When does summer end for you? There might be a specific date or it might be a general time, such as the end of August. If the first day of school is your specific date, I would actually put your goal finish date a week earlier. Getting ready for school always takes
Set aside time each day or each week for that Must Do list. Feel free to be as ambitious or as lazy as you would like to. Obviously, the closer you are to the end of summer, the more work you will need to do! If you have extra time, start penciling in the “Would Like To” items.
Just Start It
Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part. Set your timer for 10 minutes and just start working. After 10 minutes, if you really don’t want to keep working, don’t. Just come back to it later today or tomorrow and try another 10 minutes. However, if you can keep going, then keep working!
This trick is my secret weapon to get me moving on something. After those initial 10 minutes are up, I’m usually in the zone and able to keep working.
Go Outside
Summer weather is gorgeous – you just want to be outside. So, go outside! While I don’t recommend a busy outdoor location such as the pool (plus, water + electronics are a bad combination), find a quiet table in a park or the patio at your favorite coffee shop.
If your task must be done indoors, take regular breaks outside. Grab a quick walk or bike ride to get some Vitamin D and refresh yourself!
Reward Yourself
We respond really well to rewards. What some pool time? Finish reading that assigned book! Can’t get yourself motivated to paint your bedroom? Let yourself take a nap when you finish it. Just figure out what motivates you and plan that as a reward. The bigger the task, the bigger the reward.
Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid the dreaded summer procrastination! Start planning a bit this summer and get some of those items on your list completed!
How do you avoid summer procrastination? Let me know in the comments below!
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