4 Ways to Maintain Productivity this Summer

Summer summer summer time...time to sit back and unwind.

The weather gets warm and our minds and bodies are ready to relax and enjoy fun times and the outdoors. So naturally, productivity drops by 20% in the summer. Depending on how you’ve strategized your business and what systems you have in place, you don’t have time to lose any percentage in productivity.

Here are 4 ways to maintain productivity this summer:

1. Take a vacation day every week

Summer is for fun times, being social, and enjoying the life you are building. Everyday if you ask me, but primarily vacations. Average day...you’re working, the sun is shining and your mind is thinking about everything BUT work. Spare me, I love work, and I can work all day every day.

No you want fun and sun.

So to ramp up your productivity, schedule one vacation day. Yes, schedule it, so that you really take it. Now if your current work week is 4 days, then you are going down to 3.

Schedule this day during the week, so you will treat it as a vacation day and not just a weekend day with everyone else. You may be thinking that reducing days will harm your productivity. However, its the exact opposite, you will PUSH to get more done in less time. You want this vacay day!

2. Digital detox

Being online ALL the time is draining. You’re connected to your computer, tablet and phone. You are always available. If your mind is constantly processing notifications and alerts, it can’t run efficiently. I love apple as they have really revolutionized technology products, but if I open every app or program and add multiple images and songs...if my device isn’t FULL. It will run soooooooo slow. Your mind is no different.

Pick one day out the week, a weekend day or the weekend works too, to completely detox from digital. So that’s no internet, social media, email, or Netflix. Okay, well maybe Netflix, but on the TV. The computer or phone is tricky and the other apps may draw you in. After the detox, you return refreshed and ready to tackle all the missed notifications and emails. You’re no longer subconsciously thinking about those menial tasks.

3. Get enough sleep

With the sun setting later, it just persuades us to stay up later. In order to maximize your productivity, you need a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night. Now you determine how those 8 hours play out. 5 am may be optimal for that #girlboss on Instagram, but your productivity optimal time may not be until 11 am. 

4. Remix routines

All the tasks and routines that you have during the rest of the year, may not work in the summer. You want to learn to adjust your business and routines, so that they make sense to your life.

Writing blogs and producing tons of free content may be a big part of your business model during the fall and winter months. And that’s amazing, because your target audience is there to sup it up like warm soup on a winter day. It hits the spot and they want more. The weather warms up and soup and chili just aren’t main courses anymore. Your ideal consumer is out enjoying herself. So you may reduce the content that you are producing.

Don’t worry about anyone forgetting about you, you aren’t putting up the gone for the summer sign. You are shifting to working smarter vs. harder.

Bring out relevant post from your archives and cycle those into your social media scheduler. Play with Snapchat or Facebook Live and talk with your peeps.

REMIX what you normally do.

You may want to work outside on days it’s nice or take walking meetings [wear headphones and use a tool like Uberconference to record the meeting]. Send the recording to your assistant, if there’s anything she needs to take action on.

Working for yourself and working online can be difficult at times, but you’re the BOSS! You call the shots and you are able to strategize to make sure you get everything done and still have time for the sun!

xo, 

Kimber