Staying disciplined during Summer and breaks can be so challenging for dancers.

Dancers are super disciplined. From getting to class on time, remembering choreography, having responsibilities, and teaching. The list goes on. 

I always find myself in a rut when I have long breaks such as being on summer vacation. I have to readjust and get into the groove of finding myself a new routine. 

Sometimes this can be frustrating, but in the end, it has always paid off. 

This summer I plan to get involved in a lot of things that I am passionate about that I am not going to share just yet! (But I will in its due time…yay!) 

Creating a fresh routine gives me the chance to compartmentalize my life. I know what works best for me to get things done. I still have the free time to enjoy summer and surround myself with the people I love.

Here are 3 ways that I have disciplined myself (so far) this Summer: 

1. Setting Phone Limits

I spend SO much time on my phone. A lot of it is for work now… but it is so easy to get distracted and then sooner or later 5 minutes become 2 hours on a game, on social media, texting people. 

Your phone is a tool and often times people forget that because of the millions of things you can do on it. (I am guilty). I finally decided to look at my Screen Time settings on my phone and see how many hours I spend on it and doing what. After this, I set app limits for games and certain social apps like Snapchat that I don’t need to be on all the time. Then, I also set downtime on my phone so most of my apps “shut off” from 11 pm-7 am. This helps me to limit my phone use at a specific time. Then, I cut off any work that I’m pushing myself to get done. I am away from the screen.

As these limits have motivated me to be off my phone, it has encouraged me to try new things (after all it is SUMMER) and has helped me to keep in check my physical activities too. 

2. Actually Getting Good Sleep

Setting phone limits has also made me get adequate sleep. 

Once my phone limits go on, it serves as a gentle reminder that I should probably get to bed soon so I can wake up early and start the new day fresh and ready for what it brings! 

This alone takes a lot of discipline since I LOVE to be up late watching Netflix. It has definitely helped me though, even if my body is still adjusting. I am learning new habits and putting my body into a healthier routine. I wake up early, exercise, make breakfast, and I have an ENTIRE day ahead of me to get things done and do whatever I please. 

3. Set my mindset to be consistent 

Mindset is everything for discipline. I know during the Summer it is easy to slack off and get a little lazy. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with a lazy day… it is my guilty pleasure. My mindset is what has kept me on track so far… I am working towards my many goals this summer and towards what I want. A little progress each day goes a long way and I can’t accomplish that when I am lazy. HOWEVER, lazy days and time to relax and rest are important- so choose one day to do so. You can even set aside two hours each day for this. Figure out what works for you. This balance is what creates a healthy, growing, and disciplined mindset. 

I hope my ideas inspired you to stay disciplined this Summer and to really push yourself toward your goals! Your goals are there waiting for you, you just need to make that first step… one step at a time!