My brain in the summer used to feel like a scoop of ice cream left on the pavement. The first few weeks of June were always a write-off, a sticky mess of good intentions and sluggish execution. My internal clock, so reliable from September to May, would stage a full-on protest. It would demand to be outside at 3 PM, refuse to focus past 4 PM, and then mock me with brilliant, energizing sunlight at 7 PM when I was trying to wind down. My standard 9-to-5 productivity rhythm felt like wearing a wool sweater to the beach—constricting, sweaty, and deeply inappropriate.
This year, I decided to stop fighting. Instead of wrestling my biology into submission, I embarked on a little personal case study. My hypothesis was simple: what if I stopped forcing my winter schedule onto my summer self? What if, instead of battling the sun, I joined its team? I would attempt to sync my work and life with the sun’s extended schedule. It was time to ditch the brute force and try a little solar-powered finesse.
Phase 1: The Dawn Patrol
My first, and most painful, adjustment was tackling the mornings. The sun was streaming through my window by 5:45 AM anyway, acting as a relentless, celestial alarm clock. So, I leaned in.
- The Tactic: I started getting up at 6 AM. The crucial rule: no phone, no email, no work for the first 30 minutes. Instead, I’d make a coffee and sit on my porch, just letting the early morning light hit my face. It sounds a bit “woo-woo,” but science backs it up—morning sunlight helps set your body’s circadian rhythm for the entire day.
- The Result: By 6:30 AM, I felt surprisingly awake and clear-headed. I’d use the golden hours from 6:30 to 9:00 AM for my most challenging, deep-focus tasks. The world was quiet, my inbox was dormant, and my brain was sharp. By the time my colleagues were logging on, I had already won the most important battle of the day.
Phase 2: The Strategic Surrender (aka The Afternoon ‘Siesta’)
The afternoon slump is real, but the summer afternoon slump is a different beast entirely. Around 2 PM, the siren song of the sunny outdoors would become deafening. My focus would plummet, and I’d just stare at my screen, dreaming of iced tea and hammocks.
- The Tactic: I gave in—strategically. Instead of forcing myself through the 2-4 PM energy trough, I declared it a low-intensity zone. This became my time for “work-adjacent” activities or a proper break. I’d take a long walk while listening to a podcast, run errands in the sunshine, or even do some light tidying. The point was to disconnect my brain from high-stakes tasks when it was least equipped to handle them.
- The Result: This was a game-changer. By surrendering the least productive part of my day, I eliminated the guilt and frustration. I came back to my desk around 4 PM feeling refreshed and recharged, ready for a final, productive “second wind” to wrap things up, answer emails, and plan the next day.
Phase 3: The Sunset Shutdown Ritual
One of the biggest summer traps is the feeling that since it’s light out, you should still be working. The 7 PM sunshine would whisper seductive lies about how much more I could get done. This “endless day” feeling was blurring the lines between work and life into a single, exhausting smudge.
- The Tactic: I created a hard-stop ritual. At a set time, usually around 6:30 PM, I would shut my laptop with an exaggerated, satisfying thump. Then, I immediately did something to signal to my brain that the workday was unequivocally over. I’d change out of my “work” clothes, go for an evening stroll to a local park, or start prepping a fun summer dinner to eat outside.
- The Result: This ritual retrained my brain. The late-evening sun was no longer a cue for more work, but a reward for a day’s work well done. It became the backdrop for leisure, not for one last email. This single change brought back a sense of evening peace that I thought was impossible in July.
My great solar experiment was a resounding success. I didn’t necessarily work fewer hours, but the hours I did work were smarter, more focused, and infinitely less stressful. By aligning my productivity rhythms with the natural energy of the longer summer days, I stopped feeling like I was swimming against the current. If your brain is feeling like melted ice cream, I dare you to try it. Stop fighting the sun—let it be your new project manager.