Summer break, to me, always feels like a period of slow living - endless hours of daylight, fewer work assignments, being outside, encounters with friends …

To others, it’s clearly a period of chaos & sunscreen. Combining travel, kids' vacation, work and friends is a complex puzzle.

Here’s a couple of tactics you can use to work/take a break during summer.

N°1 Plan shorter working weeks
Less work? No use to working full-time. If you take Mondays and/or Fridays off, you’ll have a perfect 3 or 4 days to focus hard.
And then a longer wavy weekend to enjoy.

N°2 Let your OOO work for you
Some people don’t like to activate their automatic Out Of Office (OOO). They think it’s no good to not be there. But I tell you: it’s a good plan to use this easy tool.

Clients have immediate clarity on when to expect an answer - and they like clarity.
You can show off your creativity in that OOO by formulating a non-standard message & sending them to your website / your favorite museum / your ultimate summer hit on Youtube (this is mine 😍).

N°3 Buffer
When you plan to take a break, starting from a set date, do not communicate exactly that date to your clients. Always tell them an earlier ‘last day’, so you’ll have a day or two to finish the actual work you have - or to prep the work for the time ahead.
Same goes for your ‘back at the office date: communicate a day or two later than in reality, so you allow yourself a slow start just after your break.

Less work and feeling kind of lost?

I get you. It can feel uncomfortable to have less work than usual. But hey, you should take advantage of the well-deserved *time*.

Some ideas?

Ask yourself: what do you really need this summer? A do-nothing-break? A boost of inspiration? A motivational project? Then check if you can add actions to your list of needs.
Can you visit a client / a partner you work with / another freelancer? Book that lunch, baby!
Review the past half-year & set goals for the second half to renew your motivation.
Take time to do what you usually have no time for: books, podcasts, a course, raising your rates, updating your portfolio. No pressure, though.