Some would say summer is the best time of the year. The sun shines brighter, the birds chirp louder, and even people just seem nicer. We won’t make this a long post because we understand it’s the summer and you’d probably rather be doing something else other than reading… but the summer is still an opportunity to be productive. Yes, we can enjoy our summer and we should, but there’s always room to grow and improve even while having fun. A sport that this relates to well is basketball. J. Cole just released The Offseason and we think it’s appropriate to take advantage of the offseason because that’s when players get better. So, here’s a few things to consider as we begin our summer, which is typically the best time for students, teachers, etc.
Have Fun!
Yes, you heard it here first. Make it a priority to enjoy your summer, whatever that means to you. To keep it REAL, having fun during the summer should be a priority. If you’ve worked hard this past school year, and be honest with yourself, then the summer is the perfect opportunity to reward yourself with some fun! Having fun is productive because it gives you a chance to get away from the constant grind. We work so hard that it’s important to have fun so we can recharge, refocus and get back to the grind when it’s time. Making it a priority to enjoy your summer is actually pretty smart. To keep it REAL, the summer is meant for you to enjoy it. It could also be a good time to reflect on the past year, but regardless, here’s your permission to plan a few vacations throughout the summer and chill.
Embrace the Outdoors
Exposure to the sun (not too much) has amazing benefits that we won’t necessarily get into, but the fact that the weather is typically better in the summer, there’s no excuse. Use the summer to explore, go on adventures and see things and places that you wouldn’t be able to any other time. To keep it REAL, we’ve had enough time inside due to the pandemic so there should be no reason for you to not want to be outside, enjoying the sun and beautiful weather. You can workout, read a book or even have a cookout. Yes, being outside during the summer is productive. Think about it this way, the moment you step outside you’ll most likely end up being more productive than you would have if you stayed inside.
Continue to Grow
The summer can also be an opportunity to challenge yourself to grow. What does this mean? We lose so much of what we learned throughout the school year because we just forget about it and don’t really apply it once the summer comes. This growth can be mental, physical or even emotional and spiritual. Maybe take the first week or two off right after school, but then it’s time to keep the knowledge you gained throughout the year. This could mean doing some summer reading (assigned or not) that can help you grow in some way. You could create a workout schedule for yourself that you stick to throughout the summer. The point here is to remember that we still have a responsibility to continue to learn and grow regardless of if we are in school or not.
Set goals
If you’ve been following our blogs for a while, then you probably saw this coming… (add affiliate of previous blog post). Setting goals holds you accountable to achieve them. What do you want to accomplish by the end of the summer? Make it concrete and achievable. If it’s physical improvement that you want to make, how much do you want to improve? Do you want to lose weight or gain muscle? Do you want to run more often? If it’s a mental improvement that you want to make, what goal can you set to accomplish that improvement that you seek? Is it a certain number of books that you read… how about three? Here’s a list of a few that will help you improve mentally in all aspects of your life:
Each book costs way less than a book you’ll probably need for your classes next year, but each one will help you grow mentally in a way that will bring you infinite satisfaction with life. Again, we wanted to make this short so you can enjoy your summer. However, we also just wanted to give you a few reminders, because you already know most of these things anyway, that can help you not only enjoy your summer, but also improve while doing so. We hope this blog was useful for you and you’ve begun to think about your summer plans. Thank you, as always, for checking in!
Keep it REAL.
Recognize Education And Learning 