How to Stay Motivated During the Summer

Summer! Finally!

Written by Ronnekia Johnson

Many of us are excited when summer comes, mainly because of the fun it brings due to school vacation for students and warm weather for all. As what Ralph Emerson said, this time enables us to “live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink in the wild air.” We fantasize all year about longer daylight, vacations, camping, BBQs, swimming, and all the little joys of summer, and even use it as motivation to get through our long and hard days. Quality time, a slower pace, and much needed rest are what we look forward to in these magical months between May and August.

These great things about summer can excite us, but also demotivate us in certain ways, at the same time. For example, we can find ourselves spending all day in the pool due to the warm weather. Or maybe we use the warm weather activities as an excuse to spend less time doing essential tasks at work or letting our exercise routine slip. And, of course, there are many little things that we do because everybody seems to be doing it on social media and we don’t want to miss out.

That is not to say that rest and recuperation is not needed. We 100% need breaks to survive as humans and I actually encourage you to take some time for yourself to relax this summer! But just like with everything else that we can overdo or overindulge in, moderation is key. Compromising on the things that we normally do or need to take care of, because of the changes in our surroundings during the summer, can lead to hardto-change habits, possible behavior problems in children, or even lost income or assets. This article will give some tips on how to stay motivated in all important aspects during summer.

But let us, first, define demotivation.

Losing motivation is simply when we no longer know our purpose in the things that we do.

We could feel that we are not in control of some things, just like the weather or season, and that, somehow, affects our thought processes. Losing motivation could also be an effect of being overwhelmed about the changes and demands of our fast-changing world. So, let’s hop on the tips on how to stay motivated during summer! Here are the things that will help us to stay motivated in the 3 big areas of our lives:

1. Work

It is true that one’s mood can depend on the weather or season at the time. During summer, the warm atmosphere could make us sleepy or lazy. And sometimes being lazy at work is inevitable. In Dr. David Schwartz’s book, “The Magic of Thinking Big’’, he mentioned that we must make our minds work for us and not against us. Think about being productive, then you will become productive. Believe that you can, first, then the “how” to do things will follow. When we believe that we can achieve a goal in life, our mind will automatically think of ways in which to make it happen. Be diligent about continuing to set aside time to work on the things you have to do and don’t forget to reward yourself for getting things done. The amount of time we dedicate to our tasks is something we have complete control over, and this debunks the idea of losing motivation due to lack of control of your physiology. Once the inner drive is discovered, it can then be nurtured.

2. Home and Family

Your home can definitely be abuzz during the summer months, especially if you have children. With kids being out of school, you are forced to plan their entire days: from feeding, to keeping them occupied and entertained, while also still having to nurture them and make sure they are doing the right things. The extra responsibilities at home can be a huge factor in tanking your motivation. It’s important to remember to take breaks from the home things that stress you or overwhelm you. Enroll your kids in a summer camp or alternate hosting sleepovers with some family friends, so you each can get a short break. You can even find ways to involve your kids in your tasks that you have to do! Want to get a workout in? Throw on a YouTube workout video in the living room and do it with the whole family. Need to write a blog or balance the finances? Make it an interactive activity and let your kid man the calculator or help you with ideas. But, also, don’t forget those little bits of self care you can do when the kids (and even that hubby of yours!) go to sleep, such as a nice bubble bath or a glass of wine, that will help recharge you and fill that motivation tank back up.

3. Self

This may be the last in this list, but it’s definitely not the least of all. In fact, this is the most important thing we should focus on because we, ourselves, are the ones who determine if we can stay motivated or not. That said, we must take care of ourselves. During summer, we must stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and wear comfortable clothes. In a deeper sense, we must develop an attitude of doing things aligned with the type of person we want to become. And this does not have to be seasonal. For example, maybe one of the things you strive for is to have a clean house. All of us can probably agree that a huge amount of motivation is needed in order to accomplish all of the tasks at home, especially when things are already messy. Being motivated to have a clean house does not equate to actually having cleaning habits. Habits are what create those reliable rewarding outcomes in life. The majority of our motivation can be created internally, through the consistency of our habits. That is why going through the process with patience and diligence, instead of putting your head down and trying to power through, generally makes us most successful. Start setting realistic goals and strive to make small, but consistent, steps to get there.

Ultimately, staying motivated is up to us. Anyone can tell us to stay motivated, but it will always be ourselves who will push us to decide to actually get in the headspace to get things done. The outcomes in our lives are the product of our habits. Motivation is not something that you draw out of yourself in the hardest time, and you vanish after accomplishing one goal. Motivation is the energy to push forward and keep on improving until we become the type of person we aspire to be, until being motivated is a part of our identity.

Enjoy the summer time! Allow yourself the luxuries that this energetic time brings into our lives. As Gary Shteyngart said, “We know summer is the height of being alive.” Be as alive as ever. Be alive and be motivated.