Is it just me or does the "magical" feeling of summer kind of wear off after a few weeks?
For me, being unproductive for even a few days just leaves me feeling bleh. Have you been looking for ways to be productive that don't require 'too' much work? Well, you're in the right place. Today, I'll be showing you some things that I've been doing this summer that have helped me to be productive.


                                    1. Learn A New Language

You're probably thinking, "Sarah, NO one has time to learn a new language, it takes too much work!"
Want to know a little secret? There really isn't much work in learning a new language! To learn a new language all you need is a listening ear, a phone or computer, and motivation. That's it! Don't let your fear or doubt about learning a new language hinder you from experiencing something that will pose as a great benefit to you!

Before you start learning how to speak a language, focus on learning that language's alphabet. Don't stress yourself out by watching YouTube videos of people speaking fluently in French, Korean, Spanish, etc. If you search up for example, 'Korean alphabet' on Google, it'll probably bring up an image of the whole Korean alphabet. Save that image to your computer and start writing down the letters down over and over till you start recognizing the letters. It doesn't even have to take that much time, you can spend a few minutes each day writing down the letters until you've got it down. Your progress depends on you, choose what works for you!

After you've got the alphabet down, you can start working on learning how to read those letters! A great resource for pronunciation of alphabets of various languages is languagepod101.com . They even have videos that teach you about customs, holidays, and terms native to the countries that those languages originate from! But, don't overwhelm yourself when you're just starting to learn. First, watch the pronunciation videos and then gradually watch the higher level videos.

 Another great interactive resource for language learning is duolingo.com ! They have a website and app that turns language learning into a game (an enjoyable game, of course). They have a large variety of languages on there, so definitely check out their website!

 For more advanced language learners, you can find YouTubers who speak the language you want to learn fluently. By watching people who are immersed in the culture and life of the countries that speak the language you want to learn, you will pick up that language a lot more quickly. Hopefully, this inspires you to learn a new language this summer!


                                      2. Blogging/YouTubing

 YouTubeing and blogging are great ways to channel your creativity and be productive this summer! A lot of people write about how both outlets are difficult to take care of and are take lots of work to maintain. Honestly, they aren't (to a certain extent). To do either of those things, all you have to do is sign up for an account and start uploading content. Many people have different ways of YouTubing and blogging, but you don't need to do what other people do! Do you! If you like knitting, blog or vlog about knitting. Passionate about candy? Blog or vlog about candy! There are no rules to blogging and vlogging about what you like. 

(If you'd like to see a post or video about how I blog and/or vlog, let me know in the comments below! )

                           3. Learning A New Instrument

  I'm learning to play the ukulele right now, and it has been an awesome experience so far. There are so many free resources out there for learning instruments, (if you're learning to play a classical instrument, I highly recommend you considering having a professional teach you) especially guitar, ukulele, piano and etc. If you're thinking about learning a new instrument, I recommend that you start out with something easy first. The ukulele is great for beginning music artists. A great (free!) learning resource for ukulele is The Ukulele Teacher. He has a YouTube channel that's full of great videos for learning the ukulele! Of course, there are many other instruments besides the ukulele, explore and find what you like!


                                                       4. Exercise 

  Exercise isn't always about lifting super heavy weights and running a lot of miles a day, it can be simple and fun if you make an effort to find a routine that works for you. Personally, I love going on Pinterest and searching for routines centered on certain muscle groups; such as the abs, legs, arms and back. Most of the routines I find don't even require dumbbells or equipment. YouTube has some great exercise videos for beginners that I like to use sometimes. I highly recommend Blogilates. Her workouts are great and are mostly under 15 minutes. There are also lots of great free apps for exercising too! If you're into portion controlling and calorie counting, there are LOTS of free apps that are great for logging down your calories for the day. I personally don't do calorie counting, I just try to eat healthy and in moderation as often as I can. There are many types of ways to get your exercise in each day, find what challenges and benefits you! Your body is different from your friends and those around you, make sure you listen to and take good care of it! 


                           5.Podcasts, Audiobooks, & Life  
               Improvement Books 

  As a teen, I find myself always focusing my reading on fiction (sci-fi to be exact *coughs guiltily* ). Though recreational reading is great from time to time, it shouldn't be the only type of reading we do.  Lately, I've been discovering some great podcasts and biographies! One great podcast is The Lavendaire Lifestyle, it's all about life improvement and redesigning your life the way you want it to be. The podcast branches from a YouTube channel called Lavendaire that I also recommend checking out! The thing that's pretty awesome about podcasts and audiobooks is that you can listen to them anywhere no matter what you're doing! You can listen to it while taking a bath, doing chores or school, or doing basically whatever! If you have a summer reading list from school, you can knock out a few of those books by listening to them! A few great resources for audiobooks are your local library or Audiobooks.com.



   Thats a wrap! What about you? Have you been finding ways to be productive this summer? Have you tried any of the above ideas already? How's your summer been going? Comment below! I love to hear from y'all!