Productivity Guilt is So Last Semester: Why You Deserve a Slow Summer

Breaking News: You’re allowed to rest this summer without a 3-year career plan. 

Yeah... I didn’t believe it either. Somewhere between 15-page essays, co-curriculars, and surviving off CoGro’s iced chais and bagels, productivity guilt became my official unofficial Queen's mascot.

But here's the thing: summer is not a productivity bootcamp. Nor should it be. It's a reset. And believe it or not, doing less might actually be the most productive thing you do all year.  Let’s talk about why it’s actually okay (and healthy!) to slow down this summer.  

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1. Burnout isn’t a badge of honour  

We've glamorized being busy like it's a competitive sport. But your nervous system? Not impressed. Chronic stress and burnout negatively affects memory, focus, mood, sleep, and even your immune system.

Rest is not just a break from productivity, but it’s actually a prerequisite for productivity. 

Speaking as someone who used to feel weirdly guilty for doing nothing for more than 10 minutes, I promise you: crashing is not noble. It’s a warning sign. Rest isn’t a reward you earn when you’ve completely obliterated your energy, but it’s what keeps you from turning into an overworked gremlin eating dry cereal at 1 a.m. (may or may not be based on true events).

If any of these sound familiar, you might need a reset more than you think:   

• You schedule rest… but cancel it to “get ahead.” 

• You feel weirdly guilty for watching TV before 9 p.m. 

• You open your laptop and immediately forget why 

• You don’t remember the last time you ate lunch sitting down

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2. Your summer doesn’t need a LinkedIn post  

Listen, if you want to take a course, work a job, or volunteer, that’s amazing. Chase those goals! But if you want to spend your summer watching sunsets, eating popsicles, and rewatching Outer Banks for the 6th time? That’s valid, too.

Your worth isn't tied to how "impressive" your summer sounds. We get so caught up in building resumes we forget we’re also supposed to build a life. One with belly laughs, spontaneous picnics, late-night walks, and memories that don't include APA citations. You are allowed to be a human being, not a walking résumé.  

3. Summer is the perfect time to check in with you  

Student Wellness Services is open all summer. Yup, we’re still here! (Hydrated, SPF’d up, and ready to support you!) Whether you want to chat with a wellness coach, grab some self-care resources, or read more about finding balance (like this blog on How to Build a Balanced Summer Without a Class Schedule), we’ve got you.

Take it from me, a fellow student who sometimes forgets that doing too much doesn’t make you invincible; it just makes you tired. Really tired. Like, “accidentally-falling-asleep-mid-exam” tired. That’s why summer is the perfect time to reconnect with yourself and your goals. Not only the academic goals, but the “what do I actually want for my life?” kind.  We’re not here to push the hustle culture. We’re here to help you feel like you again.  

Not sure what rest even looks like? Here are a few underrated forms: 

• Saying no without guilt 

• Making playlists for joy, not productivity 

• Journaling without structure 

• Letting yourself be bored on purpose 

So... what now?  Take this as your permission slip to chill. Reclaim summer for what it was always meant to be: joyful, restorative, and yours. Want help figuring out what your version of rest looks like? Book a session with a Peer Wellness Coach. We're literally here to support your well-rested summer. Because productivity guilt is so last semester.  

Check out more wellness reads at the Be Well Blog, and if you’re feeling up for more cool health and wellness information, follow @queensustudentwellness on Instagram for summer wellness inspo that doesn’t involve 6 a.m. bootcamps.