“Summer is flying by” – it’s all I keep hearing! In fact, I keep saying the same thing. We are halfway through and I feel like it just got started.
Well, enough is enough. I think it’s time to slow things down a bit. Where I live, I don’t get many 80 degree days, so I want to soak them up for as long as I can. We can’t add more days to summer but we can add more time. Or at least we can trick ourselves so our days seem longer. Here are some tips to help you make summer last longer, kinda 😉
- Sleep with the shades open. This will let the light in and wake you up earlier. It also helps balance your circadian rhythms so you wake naturally.
- Less stuff, more time – Get rid of stuff! The less you own, the less you have to take care of. Who wants to spend their summer cleaning and organizing? Take a day or two and start lessening the load so you have more time to enjoy what matters.
- Start saying no. It may be time to kindly decline. Summer always kicks off with a lot of excitement and a lot of gatherings! Graduation parties, weddings, barbecues, etc. The hustle and bustle of it all can start to wear on you and the family. Start saying no to parties and yes to relaxing at home.
- Purposefully forget your phone. This is one of my favorite ways to slow things down. When I go on errands or outings with the family, I will something leave the phone at home or in the car. This is a great tactic for keeping me present and in the moment. Don’t just take my word for it either!!
- Do peaceful things. Start adding activities that are peaceful in your day. Turn off the cellphones, music, and electronics and grab a book. Go for a walk, hike, swing on a swing, dangle your feet in the water, or play a board game.
- Buy fresh food. I purposefully schedule my grocery shopping for the week around the farmer’s markets to not only ensure my family is getting good food but to also slow the process down. I find when I am at the grocery store, I am rushing. At the market, it’s much different. I stroll through the street and take my time picking the best selections. Also it’s super beneficial to eat seasonal fruit and veg!
- Throw out the agenda. Stop planning it all out and start going with the flow. Yes, it can be great to plan and look forward to things but that also robs you of the moment. Take the day one activity at a time.
- Schedule less activities but more space. We have the tendency to pack things in a day. We overestimate how much we can actually get done. And while some of us are ridiculously good at multitasking, this also leads us to exhaustion and with thoughts like “where the hell did our day just go?”. Plan a few things in your day and schedule big chunks of time in between to allow for travel, meals, recharging time, etc.
- Practice Mindfulness. Start bringing yourself back to the moment when you find your mind starting to wander, stop and actively bring yourself back. Take notice of what you are doing and what is around you. Intentionally start to notice new things in your routine. When you do this, you can change your brain’s perception of time.
- Build Anticipation – Yes, this step may lead you away from the present moment but it can be a fun way to make things go slower and add excitement. Talk about the things you are excited for that are coming up. Ever notice how much longer it takes to get here??
Try some of these this summer and let me know how you get on when summer ends…someday in the distant future!!
Simply,
Kerry
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