By Chelsea Babin

With summer winding down, many are looking to make the most of their last remaining weeks by having fun in the sun and putting work on the back burner. If you’re looking to beat the summer slump, these 4 tips for maximizing your productivity will help you get your work done and get out the door faster so you can soak in what’s left of summer.

1. Brain Dump Lists: In order to maximize your productivity and avoid falling prey to the summer slump, you’ll need to make lists, a lot of lists. Why? Because making lists at the beginning of your workday keeps you focused and making lists at the end of your workday helps you disconnect from work so you can fully enjoy your free time. Brain dump lists are great tools for improving your productivity and improving your work-life balance.

2. Chart Out Your Deadlines: To understand what your work-life balance will be like for the rest of your summer, take some time to chart out important work milestones and deadlines on your calendar. This will give you a clear picture of what kind of work demands you have and how much free time you can really expect through the rest of your summer.

3. The Summer Sprints: Success at work is a marathon. Productivity in general is a marathon. But, for the rest of the summer, you can work in sprints to maximize both your productivity and your fun. Work incredibly hard for a few days, accomplish a lot, and then take a day or two off to enjoy the sun.

4. Three Important Tasks: Your to-do list in the morning can be incredibly overwhelming if it’s got a ton of bullet points. While breaking large tasks into smaller ones is helpful to long-term productivity, your summer mindset may be better off with short, important to-do lists. Make a list of your three most important tasks to complete that day. This will help you focus and get your work done much faster.

5. Prioritize Your Fun: You’re familiar with the concept of prioritizing tasks at work, so why not use this same method in your free time? If you want to get the most enjoyment possible out of the end of your summer this year, you need to prioritize the activities that give you the most joy. You probably don’t have time to squeeze in everything you want to do, so pick a few of your favorite summer activities that you can fit into your schedule and just do those.

6. Adopt a Work Hard, Play Hard Mindset: Some people work hard and play hard the whole year round. Others prefer to have a mild work-life balance that prioritizes relaxation and a slow but steady pace on the job. However, if you want to make the most of the rest of your summer while maximizing your productivity and avoiding the summer slump, a work hard, play hard mindset is absolutely essential.

7. Enjoy a Beautiful Day While Working: If you’re a big fan of summer weather it can be a huge bummer to be stuck inside on a beautiful day. So, don’t be! Whether you take a walk at lunch to enjoy the weather or you’re able to work remotely and be poolside while remaining productive, there are many ways you can still get work done and enjoy the beautiful summer days you love.

8. Tackle Procrastinated Projects During Downtime: Let’s face it, a lot of people are on vacation this time of year so the office is running at a slower than normal pace. This is the perfect time to tackle those important-but-not-urgent projects you’ve been procrastinating. When things get slow, updating your computer, organizing your desk, or getting ahead on a project with a far-off deadline can maximize the use of your time so you have a better work-life balance through the rest of the year!

You can enjoy the rest of your summer without becoming a victim of the summer slump! Use these 8 methods for maximizing your productivity while maximizing your summer fun.