School's Out for the Summer!!! What Now?

Well it never fails when the end of May/early June rolls around everyone wants to know what I'm doing with my summer.  They are pretty sure the answer is going to be absolutely nothing.  Last summer I did quite a bit of that because I spent two years working 60-80 hours a week and might as well have slept in my classroom. This year, things aren't quite as laidback.  In June, I will be teaching summer school, going back to grad school, and doing a professional development course online (the setup sounds an awful lot like a college course).  In July, I have a 5k with my family (my first) and two conferences to go to.  I also have a list of projects that I want to get done. Definitely a busy summer.

Last summer, I let the summer get away from me and didn't get half as much done as I wanted to.  We were also starting two new series and you never know how it is going to go until you get started so I felt like I was in limbo and didn't know what to do.  Not this summer.  I have a project list a mile long and I am determined to get as much done as I can.  So how do you stay motivated? How can I make sure my summer doesn't slip away and suddenly it's August and I'm back in my room with all my wishes still sitting on that list?

I started that this week.  I actually want to try during July to make sure I keep a regular schedule.  I live alone so there are no kids to keep me moving. It's easy for me to just laze around and say I'll do it later.  My goal is to work from 8-3 with a leisurely lunch break.  If something comes up, then I don't have to stick to it (I went to yoga class this morning), but just laying around on the couch isn't going to be an excuse.  This is taking some will power because right after lunch I really want to call it quits and take a nap. Remind me again why nap/mandatory rest time isn't required throughout school...

I am the queen of work while I'm watching tv or lying in bed.  While I usually opt for that on weeknights during the year because I still get to pretend I'm relaxing (pretend being the operative word there), during the summer I have cleared off my desk and made an actual work space that I'm going to use.  It makes it less likely for me to "accidentally" shut the computer and watch another episode of Gilmore Girls.

I'm bad about going and going and going until I'm burnt out.  I want to make sure the time that I do take off I really enjoy.  For example, I spent Memorial Day weekend with my family.  I thought about bringing a laptop.  I thought about all the things I could start working on from their house. I opted not to.  I decided that was my time and I was allowed to enjoy it.  GASP!!! Time where teachers don't work.  Time where we don't think about our class.  What is that? I already know there are certain times that I won't stick to my work schedule because I have other things that are MORE IMPORTANT than my classroom.  It's ok to have fun. It's the summer and I don't want to spend next year burnt out and tired because I didn't take care of myself this summer.

Do you have ways that you stay motivated to accomplish some of that to-do list during the summer?