Little Ways to Enjoy the Summer When You’re Working

“As the hot weather is finally breaking, sitting in your office and watching other people enjoy summer outside can make being productive feel impossible. It is easy to feel lethargic and unfocussed in the heat and your eyes might be glancing more and more frequently at that clock. Despite the difficulties in motivation, it’s still summer! There are many small things we can do to put us in the summer mood. So here are some tips on how to make little changes to transform your mindset.

Break out the summer wardrobe
Though you aren’t going out anywhere, the summer mood can start before you’re even at work! Picking out some of your colourful and cool clothes can put you in the holiday mood at your desk. Planning out and choosing fun outfits can improve your mood as well as your body temperature as you sit in your home-office. An added benefit is that you are already in the right mode to enjoy the summer evenings once you’ve clocked out.

Brighten up your desk
The space around you whilst you work can be the biggest influence to your mood. If this has remained the same environment for the past year, or even longer, your mindset might be suffering. Remind your brain that it is summertime with a mix up, perhaps some lighter colours for the brighter days or a small house plant for some greenery. Adding fun elements, even if it’s just some brightly coloured post-its, can lift your mood, boost concentration and improve productivity.

Eat lunch outside
If it is cooler outside, it’s important to take as many opportunities as you can to spend time there, even if you just walk outside on your way to the bathroom or to get a drink of water. Spending your lunch break outside is a great way to get fresh air and cool down whilst making the most of the sun. This is vital, as if you are overheating you won’t be as focussed or as productive, making your working day a lot more difficult. Going outside also provides a bigger break up of your day which can prevent burnout from working too hard for too long.
Furthermore, make sure you’re preparing something exciting for your lunch. You’ll look forward to this break and really enjoy this time in your otherwise busy day.

Make a summer playlist
If you listen to music as you work, a small change like a new playlist can help to refresh your mind. Create a new playlist for the summer months – you can include new songs, your summer favourites or even new artists or albums you have wanted to check out for months. You’ll be grateful for a little motivation boost of the perfect song in case you hit any problems.

Make the most of your down-time
It can feel impossible after having a long day at work, but making the most of summer mornings or evenings can make you feel more relaxed and happier. One of the benefits of working from home is that you save time you would normally spend commuting to and from the office. Make plans with friends or even by yourself so that you have something to look forward to after you step out of work, even if this is just a walk in your local park. Just because you work full-time, you can still make the most of your summer.”