by Kelly Beischel PhD, RN, CNE

Have you ever found yourself in this position?

You stack up your summer to do list with all sorts of things that you weren’t able to accomplish during the academic year – planning, writing, research, house projects – the list goes on.

Summer hits.

You say to yourself, “I deserve a break.” But the next thing you know it’s August and you’re scrambling around to get ready for fall wondering where the time went. I know I’ve done this way more times than I’m comfortable admitting.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with a coach who’s taught me productivity strategies so that I can enjoy summer and be productive.

These are my summer work plans:

    • Present at two conferences,
    • attend a business event,
    • submit a manuscript for publication, and begin another,
    • prepare a flipped classroom,
    • revise two courses,
    • conduct an Excel webinar,
    • present a clinical faculty workshop,
    • and offer a 5 week course to prepare new faculty to teach.

I know I’ll accomplish all of this with peaceful productivity because I’ll use these strategies.

10 Strategies for Getting ‘Er Done

Plan and Prioritize

Creating goals for the month, week and each day is a powerful tool. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish each week and then write out action steps for each goal. Those action steps will then be the goals for each day.

At the close of your day determine your priority for the following day and write that into your planner. You won’t have to think about it in the morning. You’ll just get right to it.

Work in Intervals

Have you ever tried interval training? I’m using a running app called From Couch to 5 K to train for my first race. A virtual coach tells me to begin with a 5 minute brisk walk, then she instructs me to run for a certain period and then walk for a certain period and it goes back and forth until the 30 minutes is up.

Changing the routine back and forth lifts the monotony. It also builds endurance. Working on projects in intervals yields the same result. When planning your action steps, plan to work on multiple projects each day. Divide your projects into chunks of time.

The plus side is that making progress on several projects is satisfying and keeps worry at bay.

Use a Pomodoro

I LOVE pomodoros.  Using the pomodoro technique has brought me success again, again, and again. My family knows when I’m serious about working because they hear the timer.

They know not to interrupt. (Perhaps it’s the uninterrupted time that has brought such success.)

Exercise Increases Productivity

When you’re in a slump, running out of creativity or hitting a writing block, take a walk or go for a run. You’ll think better. Your work will benefit. We know that exercise increases the blood and oxygen going to our brains, right?

Be sure to have a means to collect your thoughts as they come flowing into your brain while you’re exercising.

Most of my articles are written in my head while I’m running.

Take Breaks

It’s summertime! Yay! Having summers off is one of the benefits of teaching, right? Take advantage of it. Schedule when you’re going to work. Schedule your breaks and don’t divert from your schedule.

We own a lake house and play there every weekend. I’ll not be working on the weekend so that I can play with my family and friends. It helps me focus when I’m scheduled to work.

Take Steps Toward Success Each Day

Taking steps toward success each day is key. Decide to give 30 minutes to a project you dread. Every day. Turn on your timer and don’t stop for 30 minutes. Do this each day and the next thing you know. The project is complete.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ~Lazo Tao

Coaching and Accountability

I’ve hired someone to guide me in business and in teaching. My coach guides me on next steps which brings clarity to what I do. I can’t do it alone. Who can? (I don’t even want to do it on my own.)

Do you know what else works? Telling someone your plans for completion. I tell my students the date I will submit a manuscript. I ask them to keep me accountable.

Daunting? Absolutely.

But guess what? It keeps me moving forward our of fear of having  a conversation with them that goes like this: “I know I require you to submit homework on time but I missed my manuscript submission date.”

Celebrate

I LOVE this strategy. Celebrate each success no matter how small. You can celebrate with the smallest of things. A drink at your favorite coffee house. Time to read a trashy novel. Or go big and buy yourself a piece of jewelry. You get the picture.

This might be the most important lesson I’ve learned.

Ask for Help

People are willing to help. You just need to ask with clarity.

This is the most difficult strategy for many of us. We often have issues around asking for help. We get in our heads saying things like “I must be less weak if I can’t do this. Or know this…”

We expect our students to come to office hours with questions or to ask for help in class and yet we refuse to ask our peers for help, to hire a coach, or to ask our family to help at home. Yes? Or yes? Let’s break that cycle.

Asking for help opens many doors of freedom. Try it.

Just ask with clarity.

Done List

There is a science around productivity increasing when progress is made visible. Write your reflections in a journal each night. It only needs to be a few sentences. I reflect on the progress I made that day. And if I didn’t make progress, I reflect on why.

This motivates me to keep moving forward. You can download a Free “How To” about making Done Lists. I love this resource!!

Let’s face it. Summer has a different cadence to it. There’s a slower pace, not usually as frenetic. The thing is, it can lull us into the false security that putting off our work is okay. But August will arrive and you want to be ready.

What strategies do you use to get ‘er done in the summer?

Reply below. Tell us your strategies for getting it all done.