How to Stay Motivated During the Summer

Finally…SUMMER!  The weather has changed, the sun is out and, let’s be honest, finding how to say motivated during the summer is more challenging than the tasks themselves.  The last place you want to be is in the office.  We often find ourselves losing motivation to achieve the goals we have at our careers and jobs because we’d rather be doing something else out in the sun.  From golf and swimming, to enjoying Mill Creek MetroParks or a day on the lake in boat, there is some place else we’d rather be than in the office.  But leaving unfinished work or coming up short at the end of any sales month and, most importantly, the kick off to the best selling period for real estate because you wanted to take off a little early to enjoy the weather, actually does more harm than good.  From the message it sends to your colleagues and to yourself, that relaxing experience isn’ t as good as it could be because there is a little thought in your head about something that was left unfinished.

Coming off of the 4th of July, we are reminded that there is still plenty of time for cold beverages and warm fun in the sun.  Reward yourself with these experiences by doing everything you can to finish your monthly tasks and goals on the highest note possible so you can experience the most enjoyable rewards in the summer sun.  To help you, here are some tips on how to stay motivated during the summer.

Eat The Frog

Mark Twain once said that if you eat a live frog the first thing you do every morning, the rest of day will be satisfying because you’ll know that that single action is probably going to be the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long. In this case, your “frog” is your biggest, most important task, that you have set for yourself.  It is the one you delay doing and most likely refuse to do something about it.  Start the day off by crossing off the most important thing so you have a greater sense of achievement and can brag about it to your friends over a cold beverage in the sun.

Make A List

Lists are a great way to gauge and prioritize everything you need to do.  Not only does it keep you on track to finish only the necessary things for the day so you can get out and enjoy the summer sun, but it also gives you a sense of immediate gratification by crossing off items so you can see the real progress you are making each day. 

Set Boundaries

In order to stay focused and motivated to enjoy the summer, you have to set boundaries for yourself.  This can be time you set aside to work on certain projects, elimination from distractions like your mobile devices and social media or even separating yourself from your colleagues.  Setting up times and boundaries for yourself will keep you motivated to complete tasks in a given amount of time because you know that is all the time you have to work on them before you move on to the next task…or activity outside.

Ignore The Noise

We mentioned it above but in regards to boundaries, but we think it is worth repeating.  We have become so tied to our mobile devices that we get distracted from our core responsibilities at work.  Whether we are looking at others enjoying the summer sun or posting comments or snaps about being at work, it further diminishes your motivation and ability to achieve your goals.  Put down the devices, disconnect for a while and see the amount of work you can accomplish in a short time.  It will give you extra time to soak up the rays outside.

Look, we all want to be outside enjoying the summer sun, especially after long winters like those in Northeast Ohio.  Discovering how to stay motivated during the summer and  achieve the goals you set out to accomplish for the month will only make your time out in the sun that much warmer and more enjoyable.  So don’t be afraid to have frog in your throat in the morning, it just may mean you’ll have a cold drink in your hand sooner than you think out as you enjoy the sun.

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