Productivity @ Home

Summer Won't Kill My Productivity -- and Other Promises I'm Making to Myself

This is the last week of school for my teenage son Adam, who will enter his senior year of high school in the Fall. As I woke him this morning, I mentally thought to myself "two more days".

Two more days of struggling to wake a teen who (in his mom's opinion) never gets enough sleep.

Two more days of packing him off and then having the bulk of the day home alone while he attends school, music practice and other activities.

Two more days of asking, "Did you do your homework?"

Two more days of cleaning my kitchen and having it stay that way until dinner.

Two more days of knowing that my heart is fullest when my home is fullest...

While the end of the school year throws a bit of a kink into my work schedule, I luxuriate in the less busy days of summer. But there's always a tendancy -- as someone who works from home -- to view these three months until school resumes as "time off". And this year, I truly can't afford any time off. So the following is my effort to mentally formulate a plan that will have me emerging as a winner in August -- a mom who played plenty, but also who got stuff done.

In no particular order, here are a few of my goals for having a non-productity-killing summer:

1. Stick to a schedule. While Adam's allowed to sleep in, Mom's not. Working during the early morning hours when my teen is lingering in bed will allow me time later in the day to enjoy his company and have my work complete for the day.
2. Have realistic goals. This summer is not the time to write a new book, to launch a new project, or to make any life-altering decisions. But it's also not the time to work aimlessly.
3. Take time to dream. Summer is the perfect time for pondering the possible. I'll be traveling quite a lot this summer, and those travel hours always seem to be a great time for brainstorming, making new connections, and imagining the options.
4. Play. More. With one son pretty well launched and another on his way out the door, I recognize the treasure of family time and its fleeting nature too. So while I don't want this summer to be all about not-working, I do plan to lighten my load a bit. I will be taking an extended (and unplugged) vacation for the first time in several years -- and frankly, I can't wait!

Does summer vacation throw your schedule for a loop? How do you keep on track while still enjoying needed refreshment and treasuring family time?

Need a Nest?

Have you heard the buzz about the "Nest", the new "learning" thermostat? Designed to track and emulate your heating and cooling habits, this eye-friendly device is now selling in stores like Lowes and the Apple Store. 

As someone who completely steers clear of my husband's fancy thermostats (which seem to require an advanced degree in engineering to operate) in our home, the simplicity of the Nest appeals to me, but I wonder if this isn't just another slick gadget appealing to my "it's new" nature...

I doubt we'll be installing the Nest in our home any time soon, but I'd love to hear from readers who have seen one firsthand. And kudos to those using design skills and a sense of style to make energy efficiency both stylish and simple!