The summer season is ideal for growth and learning due to the extra time and new opportunities to dive deeper into topics that interest you. This season of fresh perspectives can help you maximize your potential year-round.

Although most of us are beyond the time when scheduled summer breaks were a sure thing every year, we can still carve out time during this season to set growth goals and chase new (or old!) dreams. Whether you are determined to plant and grow fresh vegetables, explore a new city, try a healthy new recipe, take a course or further your professional growth goals, this is a great time to invest in your own personal improvements.

Check out these 5 reasons that summertime is the perfect time to grow your skills:

1. Choose how, what and when you’ll learn. The summer season is notoriously slower, which is a bonus for your scheduled learning. Virtual learning offers the unique opportunity to be completely flexible in your time, which is ideal for the summer season. Most online courses come with resources, support, online forums, instructor feedback, office hours, study groups and more. These resources are there to help you stay motivated and succeed in your efforts.
2. Give yourself a professional edge. Taking time to strengthen your skills will help you grow professionally, which is always a positive thing. You can choose which area to focus on and you can spend your time as you choose, whether it be several hours per day or a few hours per month. Your peers may not be using this time to continue learning and growing, which will absolutely help you to level up.
3. Explore new passions. Summer is a wonderful time to explore new things and even discover a deeper passion for hobbies or your chosen professional path. You can invest time in the things you value, all while experiencing personal growth.
4. Reflect on your progress and create new strategies to work toward goals. As summer begins, you’re at the mid-point of the year, which is a good time to slow down and reflect on the progress you’ve made up until this point toward the goals you set for yourself in the beginning of the year. What’s working and where do you need to make some changes?
5. Train staff and upskill employees. Investing in yourself and your team during the summer months could be one of the best ways to generate more wealth and help those who need it most. As an employer, you may choose the summer season to train your employees on specific policies or procedures that are vital to your company’s operations.