If you live in a place where summer is short and glorious, you might be feeling the pull to just blow off your to-do list and enjoy the sunshine…you know you can't, but man. It's tempting. 

And if you’re also working another job, this becomes really hard! Here are a few ways to thoroughly enjoy your summer and still stay on track with your business.

WATCH the video, or just check out the bullet points below (because, I get it...You gotta get outside!): 

Schedule your favorite things in. Make 'em routine.

Every week, make a plan to do the things that make you happy and put it on your calendar. Knowing that these things are going to happen make it easier to focus when you do sit down to work. 

• Make a weekly date with a friend to go mountain biking every Tuesday morning and stick to it

• Attend the farmers market every week without fail

• Make a date to meet friends for happy hour every Thursday on the deck of your favorite restaurant

Incorporate the outdoors into your breaks.

If you're craving the sunshine and fresh air (like I am) see how you can weave the outdoors into all of the little spaces in your day. These little moments add up!

• Eat lunch outside

• Take a walk first thing in the AM

• Take a mid-afternoon break by watering the plants

Batch your marketing tasks.

If you’ve resisted batching things before, this is a great time to start. If you can block out time to get these tasks done for the following 3-4 weeks, you're buying yourself time down the line. Plus, it allows you to focus on the most important tasks that you want to do when you sit down to do them (instead of getting side tracked with Instagram). Things you might batch:

• Social media posts (schedule on Hootsuite or Buffer or Later)

• Blog posts and emails

• Follow up emails

Prioritize consistency with baby steps.

If you're resisting doing your work because you have a giant to-do list, just start with a small, bite-sized task. Get that done, and then take a break. 

• Just do 30 minutes...instead of a 3 hour time block. Then re-evaluate. Maybe you can do more. Maybe you need to garden. 

• Know your non-negotiable tasks. Just two things that you will get done every single week...once those are done then you have more flexibility. 

• Consistent, smaller actions will keep the momentum going.

Sacred time = a must do!

• Protect your weekends (or nights or SOMETHING). It doesn't matter, but ensure that you KNOW that each week there is time that is always free and protected from work bleeding into it. 

• Provides a sense of relief for the days that you have to do a little bit more. 

Bonus!

• Delete social media off your phone. Summers aren't for scrolling. 
• Plan for next year! What do you know you want to plan for next summer? 3 day weekends? Taking all of July off? What can you do now (or in the coming months) to give yourself more pleasure next summer?

Want a few tips and resources to make this launching and growing a business thing easier? Check out the freebies here: