4 Ways to Beat the End-of-Summer Slump

Preparing for the Busier Season: 4 Ways to Stay on Top

Written by Elif, one of our current world events and opinion piece writer, and edited by Meg, one of our editors!

With summer wrapping up, fall is already upon us. Whilst we can all enjoy the benefits of pumpkin spice lattes, cozy cardigans, and rainy days, the colder season also marks the beginning of the academic year for many of us. So the question is, how do we prioritize everything and (hopefully) avoid the dreaded end-of-summer slump?

Tie Up Loose Ends

Have you been working on anything over the summer? A personal project? Perhaps you’ve been painting, curating playlists, or writing a story or novel. Don’t abandon these projects now that you’re heading back to school or work; This is a great transitional period to slowly re-integrate work into your schedule and incorporate must-do tasks.

Create a Schedule

If you’re anything like me, you always tell yourself you’ll be fine at the start of the semester, get lulled into a false sense of security, and then end up overwhelmed by the number of things you have to do. To avoid this, try creating a list of the assessments or project deliverables you have due in the next few months. Then, prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! Ask yourself key questions as you create your list. How much is each piece of work worth? Do they require a lot of research? What is the due date?

Set Achievable Goals

I remember, at one point during a semester, I saw that my calendar was packed with stuff to do from the moment I woke up to when it was time for bed. Needless to say, this is totally unrealistic! Life happens. You might get called in for a shift at work, catch a chill, need to pick a sibling up from school, or take your pet to an emergency vet appointment, … don’t stress about not adhering to a strict timetable. If you’re packing every day with work, leisure, exercise, and family times, you’re unlikely to get it all done. Things always look more doable in summer, when the days are long and the sun is shining. Be kind to yourself in the fall, and don’t overload your plate with more than you can handle. We all go at our own pace!

Take Care of Your Mental Health

This can feel like a bit of a chore, but in order to avoid burnout and stay on top of your workload, you have to take care of your mental health. Pick something you enjoy doing and set aside some time for it, totally guilt-free. It could be as simple as curling up with your favourite book and a cup of tea at the end of a busy day. or taking half an hour to go for a walk when you’re working or studying from home. I write both professionally and for myself, and my go-to strategy is to make sure I have a definitive end time to my writing for the day, so I can merrily log off and go watch Sex and the City without feeling guilty about it! For you, this might look totally different: a long bath with a great bath bomb, a glass of wine and a new episode of your favourite podcast, a guided meditation… whatever works for you, go for it!

And that’s it, really. It may seem cliche, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to maximizing productivity whilst still being able to balance all the things you love. That being said, with these methods, you’ll hopefully be on the right track to creating a routine that’s right for you.

Get in touch with us via DM at @thepropagandapanda_ and @elifoffnerwrites and let us know how you stay productive!

Photo Image Source: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/17/8c/24/178c242fd1dc31860c79637c4793a916.jpg

Last edit was on 9/11/21 at 4:05 p.m.