With the changing of seasons comes the changing of schedules and many writing interruptions. You think you’ll have more time to write in the summer, but every year it seems like you have less. Can you relate?
If you’re like me, summer activities will take on a life of their own if we don’t grab a hold of them. While I’m all about summer fun, I also know if I don’t become intentional about my writing schedule there will be no writing. (Case in point has been my lack of blogging during the last week of school, first week of summer when my entire schedule was off.)
So how do we enjoy the summer while writing?
Set Summer Goals
Summer time doesn’t mean you have to forget all your writing goals. In fact, it’s a great time to set new ones. Reevaluate your summer activities and see if you can fill some down time with more writing time. In the same respect, if your schedule has lessened, see where you can fit more fun, lazy, summer day activities. Who says goals have to be all about work and productivity? One of my fun goals this summer is to dance more and attend a couple of weekend dancing workshops. What are yours?
Schedule Fun
Summer time should mean time for MORE fun so don’t fight it! Schedule it! Plan more days poolside, visiting with friends, taking weekend trips, or exploring your own town. Remember summer is a time for refreshing and breaks in your schedule. Embrace it! You only have about three months before scheduling madness begins again.
Schedule Writing Time
Just because it seems we have more time to write in the summer doesn’t mean it will get done if we don’t plan for it. If you woke up early to write during the school year, then continue to wake up early to write. You might set your alarm for later, but still allow for your routine that worked. If you couldn’t find the time during the rest of the year to write, find the time now. But make sure your family knows when it’s writing time and when it’s play time. If you set the standards early, it will be easier for you to be successful and continue through the summer.
Allow for Flexibility
Nothing says pool day than beautiful weather, so ditch the schedule every once and while to take advantage of the sunshine. In the same respect, if it’s a rainy summer day, don’t feel guilty about letting the kids have a movie or video game marathon while you get some extra hours of writing in. It’s the spur of the moment activities that make summer feel like the lazy days they should.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day the entire year. And while we say we’ll write more in the summer, the lazy days can woo us to mindless activities if we let them. By setting summer writing and fun goals and planning for them, we’ll be both productive and refreshed come the fall when once again our schedules will change.
Let’s Talk: What are your writing and fun goals for the summer?
