Woohoo, summer’s here y’all!
I don’t know about you, but I’m so here for it. While I don’t mind the other seasons, I’m a summer girl through and through.
Farmers markets, being outside on the porch reading, working in my gardens, walking the dogs, the beach, swimming in the lake… You name it, I love it all!
That said, I do recognize that summer presents its own stressors unique to this season and I thought it might be fun to give you some tips on how to mitigate some of these.
Today we have five tips on how to stay sane and enjoy your summer.
1. Pace yo-self!! You don’t have to do it all. Why not make a Summer Bucket List (see our example here) and put just 10 things on there you can easily accomplish? Maybe you wanna take a day trip to the beach or what about read 1 book that is for fun and not a self-help book? You know what to do …
2. Get outside! I mean I know this seems so silly to even mention but I cannot tell you how many people I know who literally don’t go outside but 1x a week; my dear, that is NOT enough. You could even get creative and take your lunch outside, have a picnic with your kiddo or partner, or take your dog to that park you’ve been eyeing but keep forgetting to check out. Vitamin D is linked to increased levels of serotonin which is good for our mental health, so try to get it in as much as you can. Heck, you can even take your laptop outside if you’re able to work from home!
3. Block off a day (or days) of doing NOTHING. I mean it: zilch, nada, not a damn thing on your agenda. Laundry and house-shit can wait. Work can wait. Activities can wait … having just one day with nothing to do is a wonderful way to slow down and restore yourself. Try it.
4. Contrary to point 3, here I’m going to suggest you also do something you’ve never done before. An unusual but fun activity. Maybe take your kid(s) to a local museum or to try paddle boarding for the first time. What about a free movie in the park? Bring your chairs, blankets, and snacks for a fun night outside. It doesn’t have to be some elaborate trip; it can be in the next town over and be free, but it’s gotta be FUN. Here in the ATL, they have food truck and live music events in almost every town around us so we literally have something fun to pick from every night in the summer. Why not see what you can dig up in your own community? You never know what a little adventure might do for your spirit and overall energy levels.
5. Use those personal/vacation days!!! This one requires 3 exclamation points. Even if it’s one Friday a month that you’re off, DO IT! Did you know that workers in the US are the worst at using our vacation time? Only 48% of Americans even use their vacation hours. Um, NO. This is unacceptable. Even if you’re not taking a long trip anywhere or it’s just one day a month, still put in for your PTO. Again, no need to do anything crazy but still it’s nice to have a day where you can sleep in or go to an outlet you’ve been wanting to go back to whatever.
I hope this gives you some ideas to embrace this special time of year where you have more freedom and ability to flex. Take advantage of it to experience a stress-free and super fun summer!
As always, we’re here if you need us! Self-schedule here.
