If your workplace doesn’t offer summer hours, create your own

If you work in certain industries, you might be familiar with “summer hours”—shortened workdays, flexible schedules, or long weekends during the warmer months. In the U.S., this perk tends to be more common on the East Coast, particularly in New York City.

But even if your workplace doesn’t offer summer hours, here are a few ways to create opportunities to enjoy more time away from the office on long, beautiful days.

Set yourself up to step away

Before leaving on vacation, whether long or short, tying up loose ends will save yourself a lot of stress.

Before you leave, spend ten minutes writing yourself a simple re-entry note. What were you working on? What’s the next step? What deadline is looming? Your future-self will be grateful for these reminders.

Also, set your out-of-office message, to signal to others (and yourself) that you’re truly away.

Don’t underestimate the benefits of small breaks

The benefits of time off come from quality as well as quantity. A single afternoon off or a weekend morning free of commitments can be really refreshing, if you intentionally disconnect and slow down. Try treating these small breaks as seriously as a long vacation—no checking email, no sneaking in “quick” tasks.

Find space within your constraints

If your workplace doesn’t provide the flexibility of official summer hours, look for micro-adjustments. Could you start 30 minutes earlier and leave 30 minutes earlier one day a week? Can you claim your lunch hour back and actually step outside? Maybe you can designate a particular morning for your personal summer hours. The goal is to find small ways to enjoy the season, even within an unchanged schedule.

What would your version of summer hours look like? Let me know in the comments.

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About the Author

Gretchen Rubin writes about habits, happiness, and human nature. Seven of her books were New York Times bestsellers, including Life in Five Senses and The Happiness Project. Her most recent book is Secrets of Adulthood.