1. At lunchtime, you are usually found …

A Having a long lunch with friends
B In the local food market
C Trawling the snack aisle
D Tucking into your home-made packed lunch
E Eating alone at your desk

2. You’re on your phone.

What are you doing?
A At work, flicking through social media
B Drooling over holiday pics
C Ordering take-away
D Pinning interior inspiration to a moodboard
E Arranging dinner with your friends

3. When do you feel as though you’re at your best?

A When you’re busy
B While you’re on the move
C When you’re feeling physically strong
D At home, relaxing
E Spending quality time with those close to you

4. What’s top of your poolside reading list?

A Conversations with Friends
B Vagabonding
C Eat, Drink, Run
D Home Chic
E How to be an Overnight Success

5. Your favourite summer tipple is …

A An Aperol Spritz
B A Piña Colada
C Anything fizzy
D A herbal tea
E A double espresso and a Berocca

6. What do your summer hours look like?

A Full-time
B Part-time
C Flexi-hours
D In early, out early
E Summer savings time

7. You’d least like to be described as being…

A Anti-social
B Small-town
C Lazy
D Out of touch
E Unambitious

8. Last summer, you were most likely found …

A On a trip across the globe
B At home, hanging out with friends
C Lazing about
D Wandering around a Swedish furniture store
E Chained to your desk

9. This summer, you’d most like to be found …

A Working on your side hustle
B On a remote island
C Bossing it in the gym
D Kicking back on the sofa
E Having dinner with friends

THE RESULTS

MOSTLY A: FURTHERING YOUR CAREER

Sounds like you’re having a great time socially, but are constantly playing catch-up in your career. You’re probably used to winding down in the
summer, but you can use this to your advantage. Occupational psychologist Matthew Buckley believes you can’t be productive if you aren’t having proper down-time, explaining that not setting a firm barrier between work and play, “diminishes productivity.” Of course, you need to
strike the right balance. Try… Logging off emails when you’re not at work, and disconnecting from the office. Separate “work-time” and “play-
time” and don’t let one merge into the other, if only for the summer.

MOSTLY B: SEE MORE OF THE WORLD

You’ve got itchy feet, so Balance is prescribing a dose of travel to leave you feeling fulfilled. Columbia Business School’s Adam Galinsky argues travelling is a productive use of time, suggesting “foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and the ability to make deep connections”. Try … Going somewhere entirely new. It’s easy to go back to our favourite places, but instead fully immerse yourself in a new culture. Whether it’s Oxford or Bali, you’ll return home feeling revitalised.

MOSTLY C: WORK ON YOUR HEALTH

You may need to focus on building the strongest version of you, but it’s really not all about the physical benefits. Neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki says as well as an immediate boost in mood, regular exercise will provide “long-lasting increases in those good mood neurotransmitters”. Try … Establishing a varied exercise schedule, and observing the impact it has on your mood. Summer is the easiest time to get a healthy routine in place, so by the time the clocks go back, you’ll be in an ideal place to keep the winter blues at bay.

MOSTLY D: DO UP YOUR HOME

Whether you’re an owner or renter, simple and non-permanent updates to your decor could make you feel more settled in your digs. Consider
adopting a house-plant, which the Royal Horticultural Society say promote better mood, reduce stress and increase productivity. Try … Finding your ideal partner for your living situation. If you’re trying to save money on heating, a cactus or succulent are happy to grow in colder climates…

MOSTLY E: BE MORE SOCIAL

It’s easy to get consumed by work and become a slave to the office. Summer is time to focus on tending to your friendships, and making memories with the ones you love. Developmental psychologist Susan Pinker says “building in-person interaction in our cities, workplaces and agendas bolsters the immune system, sends feel-good hormones surging through the bloodstream and brain and helps us live longer”. Try… Making just one plan a week where the focus is to have fun, and make it non-negotiable. Unchaining yourself from your desk will leave you feeling refreshed.