Summer comes and goes every year, and I’ll be one to admit that there have been times when I did not really do anything productive for most of the summer. Looking back at all the wasted opportunities, I feel as though I could have done so much more during summer and now I am resolute to make sure that happens. Since realizing that I wasted quite a few summers, I have strengthened my will to make sure that this year’s will be chock-full of productive activities and that it is never wasted again. Join me in planning out your summer to maximize its productivity.

Read – As summer goes, a lot of people tend to ignore the reading that has been piling up in the back burner, well now that it’s summer, there isn’t a better time to pick up that book and read. Sometimes we get books or e-books, that we always tell ourselves we will read some other day, well now that summer is here, that day is today. Make reading one of the productive activities you do every summer, this will make sure your mind is alert and never complacent, a great way to remain productive. Oh and if you don’t have a book, helpful blogs are great too (c’mon, hit that bookmark button *wink*)!

Reading is one of the most calming yet productive activities. I like curling up with a good book and a tea!

Get your exercise plan in line – Perhaps you haven’t been exercising, although I hope you are, summer is a wonderful time to either reset your workout to remove the boredom or start a new one altogether. People tend to put off working out, saying they do not have time and while most other people find a way to fit exercise into their schedule, some just can’t seem to make it work for one reason or another. No problem then, summer has finally come around and while it might be too late for that beach body for those who didn’t start awhile back, this is as good time as any to get your workout shoes on. For those who already have been working out, it might be getting a little dull so now is a good time to start trying some other new stuff, keep it exciting and keep your momentum going! Try to learn more about running as a potential exercise, for example.

Learn a new skill – Learning should never end, especially during summer. Make sure to include learning something new among your productive activities for summer, or you can really kiss your active brain goodbye. I personally would love to learn some new yoga positions or some great new recipes that will keep my diet, exciting, healthy and even more delicious.

Take up a hobby – Nothing is more relaxing than a great hobby, and there is no better time to find one than summer in my opinion. You can maybe pick up a guitar, start to build models, maybe even bird watching, whatever it is, trust me when I say it is a great add on to your list of productive activities.

Plan a real vacation – A lot of people can’t be taken away from the office, but if summer has anything to offer, a great vacation is one of them. Make sure to plan out a vacation for you and your loved ones, or heck, even plan out one for yourself if you’re adventurous enough. It does not have to be a grandiose event that will cost you a fortune, it could be as simple as a week camping under the stars or such events like that. Have fun with it, plan it and make sure that you actually get a full vacation away from your computer. This should be one of the top things in your productive activities list.

Catch up on your podcast – Not much time to listen to that podcast you saved awhile back? Summer is beckoning and will allow you to fix that problem. Take the time to listen to it while you are on the treadmill or on the cycle, heck do it while you’re cooking a meal. Among productive activities you can do over the summer, this is one of the easier ones to include in a variety of others in the list.

Volunteer – No, no, you don’t only have to volunteer during Thanksgiving, you can volunteer for the rest of the summer too. Well perhaps not all of it, but I salute you if you do that. It is always good to help out those who are less fortunate, they need as much help as possible and if you ask me, this is something that you should want on your list of productive activities.

Learn to meditate – There is nothing quite like meditation. I highly insist that you learn to quiet your mind and meditate, the focus will do you good not only for summer but for the rest of your life in fact. There are a ton of fun and wonderful things to do during summer, this is true, but I believe this is one of the highly productive activities that everyone should do even beyond summer. This will help you focus on things you need to do in the long run and will really make your summer so much more productive than you realize.

Not only during summer of course, but I listen to The MFCEO Project. I like listening to podcasts that drive motivation. Plus, I am able to multitask it with cooking. Talk about being productive!

Catch up with friends and family – Nothing quite says summer than catching up with friends and family, make sure that you really include this in your list of productive activities. When summer rolls around, make sure you have a strong list of productive activities ready on the get-go but make sure that you also get some time in for friends and family. When work is busy and things get hectic, remember these people are always there for you, now is the time to really just spend your leisure with them, drink a cup of tea and laugh the day away. Enjoy it, that’s what summer really means.

Take up a class – Or an orientation, just something new. It could be something you need in your job or it could be something you just want to learn just for fun. Summer is a time when you can learn anything you want and finding classes is a breeze nowadays. Classes not your cup of tea? No problem, there are private sessions or coaching sessions that are more one-on-one if that is your preference. Just make sure to include this on your productive activities for summer.

There you have it ladies and gentlemen, 10 productive activities you can really sink your teeth into for summer. Make sure that you take the time to choose which ones you really prefer, if your time management skills are up to par, maybe you won’t have to choose. The main idea of summer is to have fun and if you really make it a productive one at that, not only will your life be so much easier, but you’ll enrich it even more. Enjoy the wonderful summer my friends, I know I will, and stay healthy!