As the academic year reaches its end and inboxes grow quieter, the summer offers something rare in academia: space to think. For academics, this period brings a slower rhythm – fewer meetings, less teaching, and a chance to breathe. Some use the time to catch up on work they’ve postponed, while others step away entirely and focus on rest and strategic thinking.

I’m part of the latter group: every year, I plan at least three weeks of holidays and add a few weeks of offline work – no emails, no meetings, no commitments. These offline weeks are often the most productive and creative of the year: that’s when ideas pop up, big plans get drawn, and things finally get done.

But most importantly, this quiet period allows me to recalibrate my academic compass.

By “academic compass,” I mean our personal sense of direction – our values, our goals, and the trajectory we’re following. Throughout the academic year, it’s easy to get caught in all the deadlines, experiments, teaching, writing, supervising, and meetings. We often keep going without questioning the direction we’re heading in. The summer break gives us a chance to take a step back and ask: am I still moving in the right direction?

Here are five simple ways to use this summer pause to reflect, realign, and step into the next academic year with more clarity:

• Reignite your creativity. With fewer meetings and deadlines, allow yourself to explore ideas you’ve set aside or dive into projects that deserve your full attention. For instance, dedicate time to exploring the literature on a new topic that interests you, take online courses on creative design, or focus on writing a grant research proposal. Unstructured and uninterrupted time often leads to original, rewarding thinking that doesn’t always emerge in the daily rush.
• Check your vision. Ask yourself where you want to be in 3–5 years – and whether your current trajectory is taking you there. Are you stuck on autopilot, following what seems expected rather than what excites you? This is especially important if you’re interested in building a career outside of academia, as it requires adequate preparation. The summer break is the ideal time to step back, reconnect with your bigger picture, and reflect on actions you can take to keep building the future you want.
• Plan intentionally. Use this period to sketch a rough outline for the upcoming academic year. What will you prioritize? What will you try to let go of? For instance, which projects will you focus on? Which projects will you set aside? Which conferences will you attend? Even simple decisions now can help you step into the new year with focus and intention.
• Revisit your values. Do your professional goals and daily activities still align with your core values? What feels right? What no longer fits? This is crucial for early-career researchers who often feel pressure to say yes to everything. Maybe you discover that teaching energizes you more than you expected, while endless method optimization drains your enthusiasm. Maybe you realize you dislike writing to such an extent that you don’t want to pursue a traditional academic career. Misalignment often leads to silent frustration and declining motivation – catching it early gives you the chance to adjust before burnout or boreout sneaks in.
• Expand your network and career prospects. Even though many people are on holiday during the summer break, it’s actually a great period to consolidate existing connections and reach out to colleagues who could be useful for collaboration or future job opportunities. Those who are working often have more time for informal chats. You can also use this period efficiently to update your CV and your LinkedIn profile.

During this summer, I invite you to use this period to pause, reflect, and recalibrate your own academic compass. You don’t need to overhaul everything. But small, intentional adjustments now can make a big difference when the hectic pace returns and there’s little time to think. Whether you take a full break or just slow things down for a few weeks, give yourself space. Who knows? That next bold idea, brilliant collaboration, or exciting career opportunity might be waiting for you on the other side of this summer.

Wishing you a wonderful summer break – and I’ll see you again afterwards!