3 Steps to Take Today to Keep Your Sanity This Summer
Summertime is a wonderful time filled with longer nights, exciting events, and (in an ideal world) time for relaxation. Whether you have children or not, there is a transition that occurs as summer gets closer. There are get-togethers to be attended, meet-ups to be had, and possible vacations to be taken. With all the fun and excitement of summer, you may notice that the routine you’ve been following for months is quickly being thrown out the window.
Take a moment to think about what you envision this summer looking like for you and your family. Let’s talk about three things you can do today to get the summer you want AND keep your sanity.
Determine your Top Summer Priorities
In order to have an easier transition into summer you need to determine what is the most important to you for the upcoming months. Are you hoping to revisit a hobby? See your friends? Slow down and enjoy time with your kids? Have an intentional conversation with yourself (and others in your family) in order to determine what your summer goals are. In order to keep your sanity during this transition, you should keep your list to two or three priorities. Give yourself the space to build a summer around what really matters the most. Friendly reminder that not everything you want to do is actually a priority.
Track the Events
Use a calendar system that works for you to write down your summer obligations. Taking the time to review all upcoming events and enter them into a calendar before summer is in full swing gives you the opportunity to visually see how your upcoming weeks look. This also avoids the chance of double booking yourself because you are keeping an up-to-date schedule. Pull up all the emails that have summer events in it, grab all the text messages, and start watching the vision of your summer schedule forming.
Set Guidelines for Yourself
We’ve spoken about this topic prior, but it’s important to bring it up at this moment as well. Thinking about your ideal summer, you’ve likely incorporated some downtime, but what happens when you’re noticing your calendar is getting booked up? Before summer begins, set some guidelines for yourself and then give yourself permission to follow them. For example, you may make a guideline for yourself that states, “I will only commit to one event per weekend.” By sticking to your guidelines, you will work toward finding a balance that works for you during the summer. It can also help you share your boundaries with those around you - “Thank you for the invitation, but unfortunately, we are sticking to one event per weekend and we already have an obligation that day.”
The transition to summer can feel like it is a stressful situation, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools and strategies in place, you can create the summer that you envision.
Transitions between seasons include shifting schedules and priorities. These strategies are only the tip of the iceberg. If you’re looking for more support and learning additional tools/strategies, please schedule a time to connect with us using our calendar. Everyone is unique; you deserve a place to learn strategies that work best for your brain, where there is no judgment. We will help you find the path forward.
