Everything grinds to a crawl during summertime.

Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s just that time of year.

I’ve got a half dozen projects on the go right now and I’ll tell you exactly how I feel about them: I feel like I shouldn’t be squandering the summer weather sitting in the basement writing code, but damn if it isn’t too hot to be anywhere but the basement writing code right now.

I set myself up with some strategic planning tools for myself.

I picked up (yet another) blank notebook and started a kind of quasi-bullet journal. But, instead of tracking my water intake and groovy moods like a moody influencer, I’m using it to keep a concisely organized list of ongoing projects, both personal and professional, as well as a tidy collection of daily goals to meet.

For example, today my four (semi-personal) tasks to accomplish were:

• – write a blog post (in progress, hmm?)
• – add more detail to five of my professional portfolio entries
• – write 500 words in my novel
• – make some art

It all seems pretty banal if you look at it in isolation, but each of those objectives is part of a larger project or hobby I’m trying to cultivate and work on, and each day I have 4 different things to accomplish meaning that each and every day I should theoretically (a) accomplish at least 4 things and (b) move slightly closer to some goal-based efforts.

It’s either that or nap on the couch watching YouTube, so I’m thinking this way is objectively better. And summer heat excuses be damned.