20 Ways to Get Out of a Summer Slump

Ah, summer: a time for barbecues, beach getaways, and lying in the sun.

While summer can be fun, the season is notoriously not good for business--or careers. Unless you work in a seasonal industry that caters to summertime, you're probably feeling a loss of productivity, creativity, and business income this time of year. Whether you chalk it up to the heat or seasonal distractions, we can't ignore that over 25% of employees feel less productive during the summer, and businesses definitely feel it in their bottom line.

Here are 20 Ways to Get Out of a Summer Slump:

1. Get clear on your career vision and zone of genius.
2. Build a habit of managing your performance each week, so that you can really pinpoint what you need for peak performance at work.
3. Assess your finances--both business and personal--to see where you can better align your money habits with your goals.
4. Leverage your daydreaming tendencies for good: daydream about your dream job and how you can finally make it happen.
5. Practice your interviewing skills. Whether you are looking to hire a superstar candidate or be a superstar candidate, make sure you have your interview etiquette down.
6. Watch inspiring videos, like these TED Talks or inspirational graduation speeches.
7. Try meeting a new employee for lunch everyday.
8. Develop your leadership skills.
9. Assess your company culture and see how that might affect a summer slump.
10. Go to an industry conference. You'll leave filled with new ideas and new contacts to jumpstart your business again.
11. Still feeling too distracted? Go for it and take a vacation. It will help you learn more about your work.
12. Take stock of where you are in your career. Are you on the brink of a real career breakthrough?
13. Set summer goals for your career, life, and business. Strategically track these goals to make sure you achieve them!
14. Think about a new habit or skill you want to develop. Now's the time to go for it.
15. Focus on your body: get moving, meditate, and expand the mind.
16. Talk to your boss about trying out a new role in your workplace. A lateral career move can help you develop new skills, gain a clear perspective of what goes on in the business, and figure out your zone of genius.
17. Foster a stronger sense of curiosity.
18. Consider how you can better be a leader of the future.
19. Reconnect with the mentors in your life.
20. Answer these 100 questions to change your career path.