Summer has arrived at last! Maybe it’s just me but I’m looking forward to a breath of fresh air. With all the chaos of the past year and life in general, our world needs a break.
Whether you’ll be spending your days relaxing by the pool or participating in activities at your gym, now and then you may find yourself with nothing to do. Instead of mindlessly scrolling social media or surfing the web, you’ll want to find a productive use of your time.
And, just in case boredom hits, you’ll need a back-up plan.
1. Devour Books
You knew this was coming. 😉 Reading is, in my humble opinion, THE BEST way to spend the summer.
Make a list of books you want to read, purchase them or check them out at your library, and finally. . . attack. You could dedicate your reading time to a specific genre, say Classics, and spend your time devouring the likes of Austen and Tolkien.
There are sooo many good books out there, and now that you have time YOU can actually read them.
Read anything and everything. Novels, poetry, magazines, articles. . . wherever your interest lies.
You could even form a book club.
✨ Here are some helpful lists from Modern Mrs. Darcy to get you started:
- A Crateful of Summer Reads
- 16 Page-Turning Mysteries
- 10 Classics To Read After Jane Austen Novels
- 100 Absorbing Young Adult Audiobooks
- 2020 Summer READING GUIDE
Arise and seize the books!
2. Write Letters
Letters are a lot more personal than text messages or emails. And they’re more fun to write! Find a friend who’s interesting in corresponding and begin writing. Like journaling, letter writing is a good way to articulate your thoughts and turn on your faucet of creativity.
If you want to go all out, follow a snail mail design and decorate your envelope.
Communicating by mail is a sweet and personal way to keep up with your friends during the summer. And letters are exciting to look forward to!
💌 Related Post: The Lost Art Of Letter Writing
3. Organize, Organize, Organize
I’m not going to lie. . . I love organizing. There’s something so fulfilling about rearranging a desk or planning out your week.
The recipe for a focused work/school life is a clean workspace. And tidying up your desk can really boost your concentration and motivation.
In regards to rearranging, when heralding a new school year it’s nice to switch things around. So bring in the spring cleaning and summer decorating!
By creating a BUCKETLIST, you can keep track of your summer goals and dreams. In a notebook, jot down a list of things you want to accomplish this summer and get to it.
4. Exercise!
Move your body! Exercise is the key to a happy and healthy lifestyle. Not only does physical activity strengthen our bodies but it improves our moods, too! If you’re having a bad day or feel drained of creativity. . . EXERCISE.
But what if I don’t have time? You say. Trust me, you have time. If you have five minutes to spend surfing YouTube, you have five minutes to go on a walk.
Any form of exercise–even something as simple as stretching–can reduce stress and boost your mood. So when you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, take a break and exercise.
Trust me. You’ll feel a gazillion times better.
What are you waiting for? Get your shoes on and get out there!
5. Binge A Podcast
Listening to a podcast is one of my favorite time-killers. You always learn something new when you tune into a podcast. It’s like listening to a light conversation covering topics you actually enjoy! No small talk or nonsense. Just you, your friends, and your favorites.
Goodbye boredom!
✨Some of my favorites:
- The World And Everything In It
- What Should I Read Next?
- Speaking With Joy
- Journeywomen
- The Plugged In Show
- Noble Blood
- CRIMINAL
Available wherever you get your podcasts. Including Spotify.
6. Start A New Hobby Or Revitalize An Old One
Pick a passion(s), and pour your heart into it. It could be drawing, sculpting, gardening, writing, singing, journaling, critiquing movies, snapping photos, cooking, hiking, dancing, chess, sewing, or something else you enjoy.
If you don’t have one, choose from the list above. 😉 What matters is YOU finding something that you enjoy and giving it your ALL.
There are thousands of free courses and lessons you can watch online. Take advantage of them. Never stop learning and trying new things. Pick up a new hobby, sharpen your skills, and do what you love.
What do you have planned for the summer? Were my tips helpful? Do you enjoy organizing/planning as much as I do? What are your hobbies?
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26 responses to “6 Productive Ways to Spend Your Summer”
I love these ideas! I’m planning to read a lot this summer, and I also love organizing, so I’ll probably do that too. 😀
I’m glad they were helpful! (: Ooh, that’s great! Let me know how it goes. (;
Very cool Abbi:)) I didn’t know you had a blog until now, but love the way you use you’re writing abilities to write a fun and inspiring blog!!
Thank you so much, Eva! ❤
These are great ideas! I plan to start listening to a few audio books/podcasts while I work on some embroidery. I also love to organize and plan! It’s so satisfying. 😁
Thank you, Mallory! That sounds like a splendid idea–embroidery is so beautiful. 😍 Isn’t it?
I think I will try some podcasts after reading your suggestions. It will be like the days growing up when we kept an ear to the family “radio”!
Lovely! Oh, I miss those days. (:
This list is full of some great suggestions! Thanks for sharing. I plan to both read a lot and sew some more. =)
Thanks, Katniss! 😉 Sounds like a great plan!
Love this excellent list and your positive tone, Abigail. You are a terrific writer!
Aw, thank you for reading! ❤
Thanks for the ideas Abbi, it’s really helpful. I’ve been feeling so cooped up this summer without vacations and other fun things, but I’ll be sure look back at this list whenever I need to!
Aww, thank you for reading, Emily! I’m so glad it was helpful. ❤
Love this list! Such a fun post!
Reading is a must and I LOVE writing letters!! I wish more people would write…it really is so much more personal and interesting than texting. 🙂
Thank you, Ryan! I know right? Letter writing is amazing. I agree, I wish more people were into it… but we CAN inspire others to write. (:
Thank you so much for the ideas! I will definitely be using this list, and I canNOT wait!
Thank you, Katelynn! Fantastic! I’m glad it was helpful. (:
I can definitely vouch for the exercise one — it releases dopamine and helps you sleep better, both of which are very good things. I’m also planning on doing some organizing this summer; it’s so satisfying and helpful and kind of fun 😉
Great post! <3
I can 100% agree with you on that.
That’s fantastic, Germaine! I hope it goes well. (: It is, indeed! Thank you reading!!
Great ideas. Good way to redeem the time.
Thank you for reading! (:
I like all these creative ideas! I also love reading in the summer time. Yes i do love to organize as well. Good work.<3
Thank you! (:
These are some great ideas! I looove summer reading. There is suddenly so much time at your disposal to read all the books you want! And yes, I love listening to podcasts. They are a great way to learn something new while also doing other productive things, like cleaning. I rarely just sit and listen to podcasts.
Fun post, I really enjoyed it!
Aw, thank you so much, Lydia! Your comment made my day. <3 Podcasts and audiobooks are great to listen to while completing tasks that don’t require FULL attention. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. (: Thank you for reading!