Summer is a season unlike any other. According to a study by Captivate Network, productivity at work from June to August drops by 20%; attendance decreases by 19%, and we’re all 45% more distracted. And why not? We’re feeling a bit more recreational, kids are out of school, business can slow down, team members are away on vacation—how’s a person to get any serious work done during this three-ring circus of distractions?
To help you out, here’s a list of articles with a variety of great productivity tips to keep you focused as we head into the hot days of summer.
10 Ways to Be Productive in the Summer
This Inc. article provides some fresh and thoughtful ideas if you face a slow period at work and need some fresh ways to stay engaged. From conducting your own personal job review to simply reading more, this list offers fun and worthwhile activities.
8 Tips for Boosting Productivity at Work This Summer
This engaging slide show offers tips from career experts—from planning your playtime, shifting priorities, being flexible and making plans for your children. It’s a nice mix of what you can do and what not to give in to (like having a lazy, unproductive couple of months).
Why You Can’t Seem to Get Any Work Done in the Summer
This Fast Company infographic has fascinating stats on how weather and temperature affects productivity, and what kind of distractions lowers productivity. The solution? Go with it! Take a vacation, snag some half days—it’s the time of year you’ll get away with it.
13 Ways to Stay Focused at Work This Summer
According to this USA Today article, nearly 50% of American employees say they only have 15 minute periods of undistracted working time. There is also a wide range of focus-improvement tips here—from eating breakfast to time boxing. They’re not summer specific, but you might need to practice some of these tips now more than ever.
How to Train Your Brain to Stay Focused
Maybe this is the summer you finally get your brain in rockin’ shape. This Entrepreneur article has three simple but meaty tips to practice and hone your focusing muscles—starting with: do creative work first.
A Project Manager’s Summer Holiday Reading List
And a little off the beaten path: Combine beach reading with career enhancement with this short list of summer-appropriate reads from our friend Elizabeth Harrin (A Girl’s Guide to Project Management) at Project Management Tips. Her suggestions include the eBook Zombie Project Management by Derek Huether and others.
