Ways to Stay in a Routine Over Summer
As the Spring semester nears an end, summer break is quickly approaching. After the first couple of weeks of break, the fun wears off and I find myself bored and unproductive. Here are some of my favorite tips to feel productive and keep a routine over summer break:
Wake up around the same time every day:
Of course summer break is for relaxing and catching up on missed sleep from the semester, but waking up at 8 am one day, noon the next, and 3 pm the day after can lead to disorganization and falling out of a routine. Try to wake up at a reasonable time most weekdays.
Have a morning routine:
Instead of waking up and scrolling on TikTok until you have to get out of bed, try cultivating a simple morning routine. An example would be getting out of bed, making breakfast or coffee, and washing your face. Although this is simple, it keeps a sense of balance and daily routine.
Find a hobby to do every day:
This can alternate if you have various things that interest you. But carve out time each day to do something that you enjoy that is also productive. This could be reading for an hour, writing, painting, working out, etc.
Try to have a consistent bedtime:
Of course, with going out and vacations, nobody is going to bed at 10 pm every night. But throughout the more mundane weeks, where you have less stuff going on, try to have a regular time to wind down. I typically try to be in bed by 11:30-12 over the summer. This keeps you from staying up until 3 am on your phone and not waking up until very late the next day.
Have a bedtime routine:
This is similar to having a morning routine. Going through the steps of your bedtime routine signals to your brain that it is time to wind down, which can make falling asleep easier. This can consist of washing your face, doing any skincare, brushing your teeth, and crawling into bed. Again, this is so simple but can help create a sense of consistency.
Although these are small things to implement into your day, they can help tremendously to keep you on a semi-normal schedule over the long break.
