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BERKELEY'S NEWS • NOVEMBER 18, 2023

How to be productive when you’re deep in a summer slump

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SHARON PAN | STAFF

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Senior Staff

JULY 09, 2018

As temperatures rise, our productivity drops, and it becomes harder and harder to get things done when all you want to do is kick back and soak in the sun. If you feel like you’re falling into a deep summer slump and need to be picked up, here are five ways to get up and get going!

1. Bring back the ol’ calendar

You may have removed your trusty Google Calendar app from your home page and deleted your bookmark for the summer, but if you feel yourself flailing, it’s time for productivity tools to make a return. Even if you think calendars are only useful for keeping track of classes and meetings, they can be handy if you want to plan your days better, set goals and actually get some work done!

2. Surround yourself with busy people

Sometimes you just need a change of scenery. Find a busy Starbucks or head out to your local library to focus. As UC Berkeley students, we’re all used to the flurry of Moffitt Library and anything resembling peace and quiet can be off-putting.

3. Shake yourself out of the slump

Like, really shake your lazy thoughts away. Go for a jog, dance, swim, zumba class or hike — whatever floats your boat and gets you up and active. The summer is perfect for everything outdoorsy (unless you’re in SoCal, where even a short hike might leave you in a puddle.)

4. Stop watching people’s stories

When you have lots of friends on Snapchat and Instagram, you’ll always feel like everyone around you is having a great time, even if they aren’t. There’s always a beach story lying in wait, but to keep you from getting distracted, it’s important to stop looking and get down to doing your own thing. Trust me, you won’t really miss out.

5. Make a plan

Figure out what you want to do with the rest of the summer. It’s easy to make a plan in your head and then spend the next week sitting home watching TV. If you keep telling yourself you’ll do it later, make sure you actually schedule a day to do it! Don’t let time slip by you and figure out a way to keep yourself accountable!

If you haven’t had much luck getting things done this summer, don’t worry! Your vacation isn’t over yet, and if you want to be productive, there’s still enough time to pick yourself up and begin!

Contact Mahira Dayal at [email protected].
LAST UPDATED

JULY 09, 2018