Diagnosing the Summer Slump

Ever since I was old enough to be in school, I’ve looked forward to that glorious time of year when the last bell rings and I’m finally free. Now, as a teacher, I feel the same yearly excitement. The freedom to kick back and do absolutely nothing has arrived.

But then something inevitably happens partway through the summer. That something is called the Summer Slump. According to Urban Dictionary, the Summer Slump is “A period during summer in which a person performs inefficiently due to the excessive amount of free time on there hands.”

The truth is, an abundance of free time can become overwhelming. Maybe there’s nothing you specifically have to do, so you don’t feel bad bingeing on your favorite television programs. That’s fine. I feed my addiction through ORORO TV (Note: if you subscribe through my link, you and I will both receive a discount). But when you come up for air, you often find yourself feeling disoriented, and maybe even a little unmotivated to do anything about it.

When you find yourself slipping into the Slump, and you’re so bored that you can’t even bother to do anything about it, it’s good to have a plan in place to pull you back out. Here’s my plan:

Summer Slump Survival Kit

Materials:

• 1 hat or bag or box
• Pen
• Paper
• Scissors

Look simple? It is! What you’re going to do is make a list of tasks or activities that you would like to do this summer. They should be things you can control yourself (sorry “Win the lottery”). Fold and cut each sheet of paper into 8 sections, cut them out, and write one task on each. Fold them and drop them into your hat, bag, or box.

Whenever you start feeling like you can’t possibly be bothered not to mope around the house doing nothing but dying of boredom, reach in and pull out a task. You need to work on that task for at least 20 minutes. Often times, it will be enough to get you interested and pull you out of your Summer Slump and you’ll gladly do the task for longer. If not, fear not. Grab another one and start again.

Tasks

1. Write a sonnet. I like poetry, but I’m often too lazy to write it. This task forces me to focus on a structure, and because I must follow set rules, it makes me think in different ways. Some of my best poetry has come out of this challenge.
2. Read a Spanish news article. I speak enough Spanish to get by, but I often struggle with talking about current events due to a lack of topical vocabulary. This task teaches me about the world, checks my understanding, and gives me something to offer in random bar conversations.
3. Draw your future. Embrace your inner child and get out the crayons, or, in my case, colored pens for marking homework. Think about what you’d like to see in your future, and actually draw it out. Be silly. Maybe there will be a way for you to have a pet unicorn within the next 35 years. You never know, so dream big and without limits.
4. Make a new outfit from items you own. This is a fun way to be creative without spending any money, and the task will give you new perspective. It might inspire you to look at other areas of your life differently.
5. Take pictures around town. We know how important it is to love where you live, so why not document said love affair?
6. Sing and record a song. Maybe you’ve got a fantastic voice, and you want recorded proof. Maybe you don’t, and you want to see how crazy of a mix you can make on garage band. Have at it. You don’t have to let anyone else listen.
7. Prepare a new dish. Even if you’re a fantastic chef, there’s always something new you can try. If you don’t have a lot of experience, choose a few items you have on hand and try to combine them in unique ways. Google can be your sous chef. If you need a few ideas, check out my post on different meals you can make from a whole chicken!
8. Knit or crochet. I usually only take up this project in the winter. Coincidentally, I never finish my new scarf on time to actually enjoy it in the winter. Get started now!
9. Get rid of something you don’t need. Whether we like it or not, our stuff ties us down. This isn’t good for the perpetual traveler. One trick I like to use in my closet is to turn all of the hangers backwards. When I wear something, wash it, and put it back, It will become obvious within 6 months which pieces are just taking up space.
10. Write a future business plan. Are you hoping to change careers or work for yourself in the future? Do a little research now and practice writing a formal business plan. It may end up being nothing more than a summer slump activity, or it could change your life.
11. Watch a documentary. I like to watch mine in Spanish, so I learn something and work on my comprehension. There are a lot of good, free options on the Spanish government’s RTVE.
12. Plan a day trip. Even if you don’t have the money to take the trip right now, go through the steps. Plan where you want to go, what you want to see and eat, and where you want to stay. Maybe you’ll get to use those plans in the future.
13. Write a professional cover letter. Pick a job and practice what you would say to a potential new employer. It could be great practice, or it could actually land you a job!
14. Read a poem thoroughly. Again, I like poetry. If I’m reading thoroughly, I’m reading for meter, rhyme, social and historical context, you name it. If you can get a book with footnotes, even better. Try memorizing the poem. There’s nothing more fun than quoting Robert Frost at Game of Thrones fans.
15. Meditate. I’m not someone who meditates daily, but it can be soothing and clear your head. This might be just the thing to cure you from your summer slump.
16. Walk briskly for 20 minutes. Taking walks often cures me of my summer slump. I hardly ever want to take a walk. See the problem? Pulling this task out of my bag is a good way to help me against my will.
17. Do 5 reps of 10 squats. Much like the last task, no thanks. But I’m just competitive enough with myself that I won’t let that go back into the bag without doing it. Sneaky, I know.
18. Make a lesson plan. But it’s summer! Yes, it is. You have plenty of free time, and you’re not properly enjoying it. This magical task can actually transfer your free time into the future!
19. Go to the library. This is a fantastic one, and I should do it every day. But by now you probably know that I do NOT. This combines exercise (20 minute walk there, 20 minutes back), retail therapy (choosing something new and not even having to buy it) and personal development (you know, if you actually read the book).
20. Study a country’s map. When you travel as much as I do, you meet a lot of people. These people come from all over the world. The next time someones asks me if I know where Izmir is, I can say yes. Spoiler: it’s in Turkey.
21. Read. Sounds simple, but I have a lot of unfinished books. I get distracted and put them down, only to find out months later that if I had read a little farther, I wouldn’t have been able to put it down. For this task, the 20 minute rule is essential. Bored after 5 minutes? Keep going, you can stop at 20. But I don’t usually stop at 20.
22. Call someone. My family doesn’t hear from me enough, because I don’t like the phone. This is a reminder to do it anyway.

Final Thoughts

The Summer Slump can happen to anybody. I’m living in Spain and it still happens to me! The key is to know what to do to get out of it.

Feel free to copy whichever of my tasks that you like, add your own, and edit as often as necessary.

What are some other tasks you would add? Comment below.