While summer is the perfect time to rewind and relax from school before returning back to school in the fall, it is easy to forget how to be productive and to succumb to laziness.

“I think it is crucial to stay focused and productive during the summer because the time off is a perfect opportunity to get ahead on any personal or academic goals without the stress of school,” Zainab Alsaad (12) said. “During the summer I work as a math and reading teacher helping students strengthen their skills in the subjects.”

There are many different ways to stay productive, for example getting up early to complete tasks, and learning how to keep showing up on time to plans and activities can be beneficial.

“The key to staying balanced with work and play is time management. Setting clear boundaries between work and rest time helps maintain the balance needed to not burnout and lose motivation,” Alsaad said. “During the summer, I stay productive by setting goals for myself and making a plan to achieve those goals. I also stay productive by not putting too much pressure on myself and reminding myself to rest.” During this summer many students are preparing for the important next steps in their life.

“This summer I plan on volunteering at local places and joining programs that will benefit me in my future career. I also plan on taking summer classes to help me prepare for college,” Alsaad said.

“Personally, having a job to keep me busy and on a regular sleep schedule has helped me stay consistent and motivated to stay busy and active during the summer,”
Cora Davis (12) said. “ I am a team lead at Panera and I work about 30-35 hours a week in the summer.”

In addition to keeping yourself busy with work or any other plans, a key step to stay productive is to rest.

“Rest is an important reset your body needs to remain motivated and achieve long term goals. For achieving daily or short-term goals, I recommend buying yourself a nice little drinketty-drink,” Davis said. “If so, why or why not? I think having a good balance between relaxing and giving yourself time to rest, and staying focused on your goals and future’s what sets you up for success going into another school year.”