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“Summer” Images – Unsplash.com
Introduction
Last summer, everything changed for me. Life would never be the same again. I would transform into a completely new person that would develop new passions, interests, and desires in life. I know it sounds like a lot for just a year’s worth of time, but in all honesty, aside from anything that someone might tell you, I changed my life in the span of a summer break. Years before, I was the typical person that spent their breaks making small games (the most impressive feat that I had reached at the time), playing mindless dopamine-filled sources, watching long and short-form content until my brain was fried, and living life as if time was endless.
And although people my age are likely doing the same thing, possibly even being considered the standard, I was different. I of course don’t intend to sound cocky at all, but it’s the truth. Getting ahead, and standing out from the crowd is easy. It’s easy because everyone is the same; rarely is anyone ever unique or different in their own aspect.
It was because of this realization, this very one, that I was able to transform from someone that didn’t care about themselves, to someone that prioritizes self-care, mental health, well-being, productivity, and mental mastery more than I ever have.
In this post, I’ll give you a quick rundown of how I was successful in doing this, and how you can do it too.
Why I Cared (and why you should too)
The one-three month(s) that you get from summer break marks itself as a period of time in which you can do anything you want with the time you have at your disposal. Realistically, nothing is stopping you from doing that. You could very well just leave this post, forgetting every word that is entering your brain at the moment, and just do on with your day. Summer could honestly be just another waste of time, as is every other summer.
And, most other people would probably end up telling you the same thing. After all, you are still young, with many more years to worry about your well-being and future; but right now isn’t the most optimal time for that. I get it. But, here’s the kicker:
Would you rather go on with your day, knowing that you could be doing MORE, OR knowing that you’re doing what’s TRULY right?
When I first started my self-development journey, my goal was to be better than the person that I was yesterday. Every day, improve in some way. Get better, and understand that sometimes, life is meant to be taken seriously, and to be difficult. If life wasn’t this way, wouldn’t everyone be rich. Wouldn’t everyone be happy? Wouldn’t everyone be successful, and fulfilling their dreams, and at their dream job; living wherever they want in the world, while still working at peace, for barely any effort or struggle?
It’s not a stretch. I cared when I first started because I cared about my future. What worked for me, and what might work for you too, is understanding -really grasping- that repeatedly doing what feels good, usually isn’t good. Drinking that can of Sprite might taste good, but it sure doesn’t mean that you level up from it.
Ultimately
You have so much time on your hands. You really could just throw it all in the garbage, and just go on with life knowing that there was so much more hope for you to improve. Instead, you took the easy way out. Are you really proud of that?
I’m not saying to dedicate your whole summer to endless hard work, and just trying to maximize your productivity to the highest extent possible. No, don’t do that. The goal is to enjoy summer, having fun with friends, spending time with family, going outside, whatever. But it also consists of using your time productively with whatever 16-18 hours isn’t spent doing those things.
What You Shouldn’t Do
You shouldn’t be wasting your time doing things that won’t benefit your future self, that’s for sure. However, there’s a bunch of those, so here’s a quick list with the most important concerns.
- Inconsistent Sleep Schedule: Changing sleep patterns frequently can disrupt your body clock.
- Overusing Social Media: Excessive use can waste time and distract from goals.
- Neglecting Exercise: Physical activity boosts mood and productivity.
- Procrastination: Delaying tasks can lead to unnecessary stress.
- Ignoring a Daily Plan: Not planning can lead to unstructured and unproductive days.
- Staying Indoors All Day: Lack of sunlight can affect mood and energy.
- Late-Night Binging: Staying up late watching shows or movies can disrupt sleep.
- Ignoring Mental Health: Not addressing stress or anxiety can decrease efficiency.
- Not Setting Goals: Goals provide direction and motivation.
- Resisting New Experiences: Not exploring new interests can limit personal growth.
- Not Reflecting: Failing to review what you’ve learned or achieved.
- Staying in Comfort Zone: Not challenging oneself can lead to stagnation.
- Not Being Curious: Not exploring topics beyond the syllabus can limit learning depth.
We’ll provide a few others later on that we think are important too, but weren’t significant enough to make the list above.
“Goal” Images – Unsplash.com
What I Did
My passion at the time, a year ago exactly, was programming. Seriously, I was one of those people that wanted to take programming and software engineering for real, but never did because I didn’t know where to start. I didn’t know which language to choose, where I’d learn that language, and how to master it enough to the extent that I could actually employed for the knowledge that I had.
For many months, I was holding back from what I really could’ve been doing. In other words, I let time just pass by me, while I just sat around doing nothing. I wasted my time, and just obsessed myself over school, and getting the best grades. Sure, many might see that as important. And without a doubt, you should prioritize school. It’s easier than it seems, you just have to wake up and realize that every day gets progressively harder, and that some teachers pressure you more than others. Just wait until you get a job. Then, once you’ve done that, you’ll realize the actual, real amount of time that you have at your disposal.
Besides that, I dedicated every day, for a month straight, to just learning. I learned JavaScript, Python, HTML, CSS, and a little bit of SQL and Swift as a result; all within the course of a month. I was so hyper focused to the point that I would work and study for 10-12 hours a day (consistently, every day) whatever computer language that I was studying. Best of all, I was still averaging 10 hours of sleep per night, and was happier and more satisfied with myself than I had been with myself in a long time; or even, ever.
Although I don’t use them all today, I’ve discovered a passion that I truly love.
What You Should Do
- Wake up early, every day. The time doesn’t have to be absurdly early, for example, I woke up at 10 AM every day, yet still could work 10-12 hour days consistently throughout the week.
- Start working immediately. Be sure to brush your teeth, wash your face, or whatever you do in the morning. But, be sure that right after, you start working. You will never be more productive than how you will be working right as you wake up.
- Eat healthy, and as necessary; without limitation. Be sure to indulge in healthy eating habits, and ensuring that you’re taking care of your body properly. But, don’t go so harsh on yourself. Have a cheat meal every know and then, and treat yourself (cookies are great examples) for whenever you deserve it. I love doing this after a hard and focused work day.
- Avoid giving yourself too many breaks. The traditional, typical advice is to give yourself mental breaks every so amount of time. In my personal opinion, I don’t suggest doing that. Only ever take breaks when you just can’t seem to focus anymore. And, side note, breaks aren’t going on your phone and scrolling. Just because it doesn’t feel like work, doesn’t mean that it isn’t. Your brain still uses energy to consume whatever dopamine you’re feeding it. If you’re someone that’s like me, so in love with the work that they’re doing, then you’ll consider meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner as breaks.
- Limit phone usage to 30 minutes a day. There are so many methods that you can follow for limiting phone usage. Choose the one that suits you best, and implement that. What makes this hard is understanding that you can’t use your phone; but that’s also what’ll make you great.
- Exercise and get some sunlight.
Conclusion
Spending your summer the right way is step 1 to a long journey of personal growth. Getting better comes at a cost, it sucks along the way. You can’t get better without understanding that life won’t hand everything to you, and without reaching the conclusion that life will throw rocks and sticks at you; but not roses. You will have regrets. You will question if you’re doing the right thing, doing enough, or being consistent enough.
Those worries are something that’s natural. Accept it. Know your place, because it’s at the cost of becoming your absolute best self, and achieving a state of happiness and fulfillment unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
