How to make the most of this season: get restorative rest, make new discoveries, and have fun.
Summer is the most nostalgic season for me.
I think of super soaker fights outside, running through sprinklers, ice cream, and endless days of playing as a kid.
If I let myself get carried away; I start missing the days when I could be carefree- when life slowed down a little and fun was the agenda for the day.
Well- good news! If you’re overdue for some fun or a little R&R, there’s no time like the present.
Let’s make the most of these summer days before they slip away.
Here are some ideas to get you to insert more rest (and fun!) this summer:
Take the time you have
Let’s start by setting our expectations right:
Unless you *happen* to have a work schedule that coincides with the school year, it’s safe to say you probably don’t have more free time just because it’s summer.
That’s okay.
If you’re saving vacation days to take a trip with your family this summer, great!
If you don’t plan on taking any time off, that’s fine too- take the time you have.
That means:
If you have 5 minutes, go outside to drink your iced coffee or lemonade.
If you have 30 minutes, take a walk in the sun.
If you have half of a Sunday, go read on the beach.
It doesn’t have to be a long vacation to give you a vitamin D boost and some serotonin.
Find the sunshine
Sunlight can help improve anxiety and depression symptoms- and that’s reason enough for me to want to chase it!
Not every summer day is sunny- but as the days get warmer and longer, make a point of scoping out your surroundings. Is there a window near where you work that has excellent afternoon light? What about your house?
When you find those sunny places, gravitate to them for a few minutes every day, if you can. You may start to feel your spirits lifting!
Pick 2-3 easy reads for the summer
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably planning on reading more than 3 books this summer.
That’s great! Here’s the point:
Pick something that will be light & easy to read. That will make you laugh, or keep you curious, but that won’t bring stress into your relaxing time. (For example, I sometimes find that I can’t relax if I read business books before bed- I’m too busy thinking about work)
These books will be your signal to turn your stress brain off just a little- you can read them in your yard, at the beach, or while waiting in the car.
The best part is- once you get hooked on the book, you’ll automatically start to find extra time to relax.
Oh yeah… And if you’re not a book person, feel free to substitute a relaxing hobby you have– whether that’s knitting, playing video games, watching movies, or something else entirely!
Create a short summer bucket list… then schedule it
This one’s about inserting fun!
Pick 1-5 things you’d like to do this summer.
I do this every summer, but, to be honest, I’m not always great at actually doing the things I’ve picked.
That’s because I get over-zealous and then too busy.
So this year, I’m taking a different approach- one that’s going to work!
I’m keeping my summer bucket list short.
Here’s what’s on it:
- Go to Lake Michigan once with Andrew
- Visit one touristy Michigan city (you can tell what state I live in! haha)
- Go disc golfing 3x
- Go kayaking 3x
Now, all I have to do is schedule those things- no more feeling bad about not doing enough of the “fun” things I wanted to do this summer.
Your list will probably look a little different- and that’s great! Just be sure to get super clear on what you want to do for fun this summer, and carve out the time on nights or weekends to actually do it.
Choose a few things to say “no” to
If your schedule tends to fill up in the summer (and whose doesn’t?), choose a few things to say “no” to.
If you’re having trouble, here are some ideas:
- Grad parties & weddings for acquaintances can often be crossed off guilt-free (especially if you send a card or a gift in your absence).
- Sub for trips to the gym/fitness classes with walking around your neighborhood
- Have your groceries or meals delivered- and use the time for something else!
- Intentionally say no to some movies or shows you want to watch, for now- and make a plan to catch up on them when the days get shorter!
- If you have several friends who want to meet up with you for coffee- consider hosting a brunch or a dinner and having a little party instead. That way, you get to see them and catch up, but you don’t have to fill up your weekends and days off with separate friend meetings.
- If you’re usually part of a club (book club, pickleball group, mom’s group- you get the picture), consider skipping it for the summer and picking it back up in the fall.
Please note that the list above is full of suggestions- if one of those things brings you joy or enriches your life in some way, by all means, keep doing it this summer!
Layer activities whenever possible
Layering activities is a way of creating more space in your life while still doing things you enjoy. This often comes into play with friends and family (see the “have a party instead of individual get-togethers” advice in the last section.)
For example, I could invite friends to go disc golfing with me. Or we could go to Lake Michigan together. If making more time for friends wasn’t an issue, maybe I’d find a disc golf course near Lake Michigan and do both things on the same outing.
This is also a technique you can use if you have a commitment that’s dragging you down a little: figure out if there’s a way to do it outside, or to incorporate an enjoyable summer activity (like reading! Or ice cream!)
However, this “layering activities” advice comes with a caveat- don’t use it as an excuse to pile in more activities to your schedule.
The point is to help you feel refreshed, and like the summer didn’t pass you by. To make space for more rest.
Eat Dinner Al Fresco
This is a fancy way of saying, “Take your food outside to eat it.”
Honestly, this doesn’t have to just apply to food.
If you’re working from home in the evening, take your laptop outside!
Learning guitar? Take it outside!
Playing a game or watching a movie?
Take. It. Outside.
There’s something more restful and playful at the same time about doing normal indoor activities outside.
Give it a try, and see how it goes!
Schedule Down Time
It’s easy to feel like summer will disappear too quickly if we don’t make the most of it…
But that’s a really easy way to not enjoy your summer! (Speaking from experience)
So, in the midst of all your fun summer plans, just remember to schedule some time to rest.
That may look like leaving an entire Sunday free because you’re going to the beach all day the previous Saturday.
It may look like limiting yourself to only 3 fun things for 5 weeknights.
It might look like getting off an hour early so that you can refuel yourself for a jam-packed weekend.
You’ll know (or discover!) what works best for you.
Just don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can rest “later.”
Focus on the things that are most important to you, this summer. And put rest on that list so that you can enjoy them to the fullest.
Okay, that’s what I have! I’d love to hear from you- what are some of your favorite ways to inject fun and rest into your summer?