By: Elizabeth Koblenz, LCSW

As the weather starts to get nicer, it is likely that you are starting to feel excited for the summer months to begin. Whether you are in school finishing up the semester or working and just looking forward to having some time off this summer, these next few weeks can feel draining and long. It can be challenging to keep your motivation up, especially when you are inclined to spend more time outside and less time at your desk. Here are some tips to get through the final weeks before summer:

1.     Start by making a schedule and plan. It can be helpful to time-block in your calendar to allocate time for each subject so that you don’t feel overwhelmed each day. Set realistic goals for yourself! If you have a busy work season right now and know it will be wrapping up when summer approaches, try to also organize your schedule by prioritizing the top tasks that need to get done that day. You want to try to not overwhelm yourself with too many tasks in one day. While it is great to aspire to get everything done at once, it is important to be cognizant and realistic about the time you have.  

2.     Practice self-care at least at once a day. As you are in these final weeks it is important to allocate some time in your day for self-care. It is essential to do so in order to avoid burning out and feeling stressed. Try to add your self-care in your calendar as you would for classes, work or a meeting. Self-care can also help you to realign yourself and relieve any stress that you are having as it is a great  coping skill to utilize when feeling stressed. Examples of self-care can include talking to a friend, taking a walk, exercising, cooking, reading or anything else you may find enjoyable. When you schedule this time into your calendar, it will help you to stick to practicing self-care each day.

3.     Reward yourself with breaks. Breaks can be helpful especially if you are studying for finals as it can be exhausting to study for hours at a time. Breaks can increase  productivity leaving you to feel refreshed to restart your work. Taking breaks can help eliminate fatigue and help you to retain the information more clearly as it gives your brain the necessary time to reset from the task at hand. If you have a busy job where you find it hard to take breaks, try to ask a coworker to hold you accountable to at least one moment away from your desk during each the morning and afternoon hours.  

4.     Set limits and boundaries for yourself. If you are a student, chances are you are juggling a lot between schoolwork, friends, attending classes and potentially also having a job or internship. When you are studying, in class, or working, try to put your phone away and on silent. This can help create a healthy boundary with your family and friends so that they can respect your time and know that you are busy. It can be helpful to use the time before or after your responsibilities to call family or spend time with friends. If you are able to do this when you are taking breaks, you can then use the time to catch up on personal texts and emails!

The more you practice these habits, the easier they will be to incorporate into your day-to-day routine. We are so close to summertime and if you are in school you are so close to being done with your semester. If you would like to talk to someone about creating a healthy routine for yourself, please reach out to us at Hello@Upsidertherapy.com.