In the past, summer has been one of my least productive times. With the sun shining and the weather being so nice, my office (which seems so nice and cozy in the winter) feels too warm and not sunny enough.
This used to lead to me doing a lot of work on my laptop at various locations around the house. With piles of whatever I was working on being left at the most recent “work” location. That was fine, until it was left on the kitchen table or on the couch my husband generally watches TV from. Because he knew he couldn’t move it and I didn’t always get around to moving it very quickly.
There’s nothing wrong with working on a laptop, I did it happily for a couple years. However, the traipsing around with it generally meant my posture wasn’t very good. So I’d end up with a sore neck or back. And I would quickly develop terrible habits, usually involving a computer game, Facebook or watching TV.
No wonder summer wasn’t productive for me! If I wasn’t trying to find a new spot to work, I was sidetracked with something else.
This summer things have already started to change. It was time to replace my seasonal habit of being a wondering worker. I decided to stay in my office, it’s where I’m most productive and have fairly good habits.
And, with that decision I realized I needed a new seasonal habit or two. Here are the two habits I added to my day:
- I adjust my environment daily.
My office is on the east side of our house, making it pretty warm in the afternoon. So, after lunch, the window shade goes down and the ceiling fan goes on. Those two small adjustments make a big difference in the feeling of my office. - I take regular breaks.
One thing I’ve learned about myself is if I’m spending a lot of time on distracting websites, I’m probably not taking quality time for myself. So, if I take a break, I make it count. Meaning I leave my office for at least 15 minutes.Generally, this break involves a book (I’m always reading something) and sitting outside on the deck enjoying the sun when the weather is nice. I grab a light snack, set my timer and read.
My brain gets a break from whatever I’m working on and a change of scenery. And, amazingly, I’m less likely to spend a lot of time on those distracting websites.
Do you have problems staying focused during the summer? What are a couple of small seasonal habits you can adopt?
Share your ideas in the comments below!