Tips For Making Your Summer Break Productive

On May 3, 2016, in UWindsor, by Elizabeth Ismail

For those that are not taking classes this Summer/Intersession, your summer vacation has begun.

But don’t be so quick to forget how you told yourself last summer that you would accomplish so much—and then didn’t. You may have made a list, and even told a few people, but the end of the break came all too quickly and that list was left largely unchecked.

Increase your productivity over the summer

Let’s change that this summer. Let’s set realistic goals and develop realistic approaches to achieving those goals.  And let’s start by addressing challenges to our productivity, including the effects of sleep deprivation.

Consider the following posts to motivate your pursuit:

1)   Taking a Break from Academia
2)   Making the Time for Personal Development
3)   Reviewing Your Project List
4)   Working on Your Teaching and Learning Philosophy
5)   Slaying your Email Dragons

Enjoy videos? Check out this TED Talk by Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator. In this hilarious and insightful talk, Urban takes us on a journey through YouTube binges, Wikipedia rabbit holes and bouts of staring out the window — and encourages us to think harder about what we’re really procrastinating on, before we run out of time.

If you’re interested in a TED Talk under 5 minutes, check out Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep. Huffington argues that we can sleep our way to increased productivity and happiness — and smarter decision-making.

Ultimately, remember that productivity comes in all shapes and sizes, though as with most things in life, organization and perspective tend to be essential elements.