Summertime Tips for Harmonizing Work and Play

Summertime is full of fun or at least it should be. Often it is hard to find harmony between work and play no matter the time of year. However, some people really struggle in the summer to get work done and be present in their personal life. The following tips aim to help you manage your work efficiently while still enjoying the pleasures of summertime. Creating harmony between productivity and fun can lead to a more fulfilling and stress-free season.

Tip 1:

Schedule Your Week: To harmonize work and play during the summertime. It is essential to plan your week in advance to ensure that your professional and personal life receive attention. By scheduling both work hours and fun activities, you can avoid the stress of feeling like you’re missing out on either. Sundays are a great time to set up your weekly schedule, ensuring that you have dedicated time for both work responsibilities and enjoyable summertime activities.

Tip 2:

Utilize Time Blocks: Time blocking helps in efficiently managing your week, by allocating specific blocks of time for work and play. You can ensure that each activity gets the attention it deserves and you can be present in each moment. Stick to these time blocks to maximize productivity and enjoy your free time without guilt.

Tip 3:

Maintain Priority: Within your scheduled time blocks, prioritize tasks to focus on what’s most important. Start with income producing activities and ensure that these are completed first. This approach helps to efficiently manage your workload, allowing you more guilt free and stress free time for summer fun.

Tip 4:

Manage Emails: Emails have proven to be a significant distraction in most people's lives. To manage emails effectively, check your email only after you have completed your prioritized income producing tasks. You can even allocate specific times in your day to review emails for the purpose of checking for urgency and creating the priority for the next scheduled work time block. Preventing email from consuming the time meant for personal activities and income producing work is critical to finding harmony between work and play no matter the time of year.

Tip 5:

Equip Yourself: Prepare everything you need before starting your scheduled work time block. Gather chargers, snacks, beverages, and any necessary materials to avoid interruptions. The idea is to remove any excuse you may find to interrupt yourself during your work time block. Being well-prepared ensures you stay focused and productive.

Tip 6:

Remove Distractions: Eliminate distractions during your scheduled work time blocks. Turn off notifications, silence your phone, and close unrelated tabs and applications. This focus helps in maintaining productivity during your scheduled work time. Staying focused during this time will allow you to get things done as you can enjoy the rest of the day you have planned.

Tip 7:

Time of Day: When scheduling your most important tasks consider the time of day when you are most productive. Are you more productive in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Choose a time that aligns with your peak performance to ensure you accomplish your priority income producing tasks when you are at your best. Remember to also consider the personal fun activities that you want to do or have scheduled, so that you can optimize time for both work and play.

Tip 8:

Implement the Important: Consistently implementing your priority tasks is crucial. Follow through on your planned activities during their designated time blocks to achieve your goals. Adjust your schedule if you find certain times of the day less effective for productivity. Staying consistent in completing work during the scheduled time will allow you to have more fun and remain present and less stressed during scheduled play time.

Tip 9:

Make Your Plan Known: Communicate your schedule to those around you to avoid distractions and interruptions. Your family and friends are excited to spend time with you and may accidentally create distractions or interruptions that inhibit your ability to get things done. Letting family and friends know exactly when you are working and when you are free helps clarify expectations and assists with creating harmony between work and play.

Tip 10:

Expect What You Execute: It is not a secret that execution is key to success. Any plan or schedule you create only works if you follow through with the plan as written. Granted you can adjust the plan. Just know that constant adjustments can still lead to a lack of execution. Not getting the critical tasks done can create massive amounts of stress and cause you to miss out on the fun of summer. By committing to your planned activities, avoiding distractions, and following the tips listed above you can achieve your goals and enjoy your summertime fully stress free and guilt free.

Need help developing a plan that harmonizes your professional and personal life? Schedule a consultation with Danielle TODAY!