Guide to a creative summer project

Summer summer summer.

It's a time for laziness, adventures and living the life we wish we could live the rest of the year. A time for thick books and long, warm nights. A time for discovering the world around us, of rediscovering ourselves.

Summer is a time we often want to do something creative, something we don't have the time or energy to focus on when we're stressed by work and in the middle of our every-day life.

If creativity is calling for you this summer, here's four questions to help you choose a good summer project. 

What is reasonable to accomplish during the summer? 

It's easy to get swept away by inspiration and ideas we so desperately want to make happen, that we end up setting steep goals for our summer vacation. 

Remember that summer should still be a time for recovery and rest. Most of us live lives the rest of the year that are often too stressed and the break we get on our vacation is much needed. Don't make your creative project another stressful need-to-do.

Given the time you'll have and the fact that you also need to rest, what is reasonable to accomplish in your project? Is there a specific thing you'd like to finish, a place you want to get to? Are you open to not reaching that goal, without beating yourself up?

How does your project fit with the rest of your summer?

Will you travel this summer? 
Are you going to be home the whole time? Summer house? 

Whatever you're planning to do this summer, think about when the best time is for your project. Is there weeks when you won't be able to work on it, or don't want to because you're doing something else? If you're travelling, can you bring your project with you?

If you're going away, could you use the change of scenery in your project? Is there parts of your project better fit for making in one of the locations? 

Or is your country like mine, Sweden, and there's a big risk of rainy days perfect for writing or painting? Could you decide to embrace the warm days for being outside and the rainy ones for your project?

Is there something you struggle with the rest of the year?

Some struggles come from fear or perfectionism. But some struggles come from the fact that we actually have limited time for space and creative focus the rest of the year. 

For example, novel writing is something I always struggle with doing on weekday nights because it's work that I prefer having longer focus for. I've done my best novel writing when I've been able to dedicate a few weeks for focusing almost only on writing. That's when I can keep the flow going, not having to reload every time I sit down to write.

Do you have a project like that, something that suffers more than the other ones from only getting attention in certain ways, on certain times? Is there something that'll really benefit from the space summertime can give?

What would make your summer a wonderful one?

What project would make you remember this summer as the summer you did that thing? What creation do you long for and love doing, something calling for you? Is there a dream you've neglected the past year that wants some attention?

Summer, with space and slow days, can be the perfect time to start exploring something that's been in the back of your mind for a long time. An idea whispering, wishing you'll follow it. 

Choose the project that will make you love this summer.