Don’t let the summer pass by without enjoying a few summer evenings but make sure to knock a few things off your to-do list in between.
Tip #1 - Read a Classic
When you find yourself at the beach, toes buried in the sand, pass the time with a classic you’ve yet to read. I came across this list of book recommendations and got excited to add Jaws and To Kill A Mocking Bird to my summer reading list. I’ve seen Jaws a dozen times, but never read the book. So dare to put down your magazine and relive a classic tale like Jaws while you watch the waves roll in!
Want a book that’s a little more current? Check these out.
Tip #2 - Keeping the Office Productive
On a beautiful summer day, especially around the 4th of July or August vacation spells, offices either become less productive or empty out all together. The urge to take that long lunch or leave early takes hold. Productivity goes right down the drain.
This fantastic article has some pretty genius ideas on how to stay productive without killing the vibe. My favorite? Bring in ice cream! Because why wouldn’t you? Your colleagues will love you! If you’re the boss, make it a 4:30 ice cream gathering, discouraging people from ducking out early, while keeping things positive.
Summer can be boring because things slow down, the office is quiet, people are out, and nothing gets done. The suggested solution? Ask for more work and use it as an opportunity to get ahead and look good.
On days where it’s only mildly hot, I’d also suggest walking meetings if it’s just a one on one.
This humanity article suggests that you might have to go even further to boost productivity during that "summer slump". Their infographic shows that flex hours where workers put in longer days Mon.-Thurs. and take Friday off have little to no positive effect. However, allowing telecommuting does.
Wrike.com suggests letting people work on passion projects during the summer. They also had the great idea of offering tickets to summer events to reward top performers.
Tip #3 - Go on a Weekend Getaway
Weekend flights between cities are often cheaper. If you don’t have kids, why not? It’s easy and, with AirBnb, it’s cheaper than ever. If you live in L.A., have you been to Portland? If you live in New York, have you been to Charleston?
Check out the Top 10 Cities for weekend getaways! This might seem like it's just a fun activity, but a little spontaneity is a good thing when it gets you off the couch and throws you into new places.