Memorial Day weekend has come and gone. The temperatures outside have switched (practically overnight) from early March to late July.
Ready or not, summer is here.
For those not bound by the school calendar, summer seems little different from the rest of the year, but even so there is something unique about summertime.
Let’s not waste it.
Five ways to make the most of summer
- Get outside. Science confirms that it’s beneficial for humans to spend time in sunlight. Getting out and enjoying the natural world around us restores us on many levels. Puttering in the flower beds or eating dinner on the back deck count, but even better is heading off to a nearby tract of undeveloped ground where the silence and majesty of God’s creation can surround you. And, for heaven’s sake, leave your electronic gadgets behind. You can’t absorb nature when you’re busy texting, checking work emails, or listening to iTunes.
- Go out and play. It’s what our mothers told us when we were kids, and it’s still good advice. Play is important for mental health and enhances our creativity and problem solving. Team sports and other athletic activities are great for some, so long as the competitive drive doesn’t turn it into work. The best play is often spontaneous. A water fight, going for a swing at the park, enjoying pretend tea under a blanket fort. Get in touch with your inner child and simply have fun.
- Relax. We know that modern society’s constant go-go-go is not healthy, and yet many of us feel guilty whenever we aren’t being “productive.” Don’t listen to that voice of guilt! Give yourself permission to slow down and do something fun just for the joy of it. Go fishing. Read that book. Close your eyes and disappear into your favorite piece of music. Resist the urge to plan every moment of your weekend or vacation, and leave time to slow down and lose yourself in an activity you love. Guilt-free!
- Connect with people. Who doesn’t love an evening hanging out with friends? We have thirteen weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Decide to make the most of them by inviting people over for an evening of simple food and great company. Buy some steaks or burgers, stock up on grilling beverages, and have fun. If possible, spend at least part of the time outside, but more importantly, make the most of those long summer evenings. (Catching fireflies is optional.)
- Take real vacations.com defines vacation as: a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday. We take vacations to get away from the rat race, reconnect with important people, and generally lower our blood pressure. Some vacations also involve travel or seeing new sights. But whether you vacation in Tahiti or your own backyard, make sure you actually achieve rest. Vacations are meant to recharge us, not to drain us. The best way to do that is to embrace the activity of the moment with your whole attention. (And if your vacation includes a list of activities you can’t embrace, it’s time to rethink your plans. Can you find alternatives? Opt out of some things?) Leave work problems at home, resist the urge to check the Twitter feed every half-hour, and decide to stay in the moment. Don’t take pretend vacations! Disengage from media and productivity addictions and pursue the restorative powers of a true vacation, one slow moment at a time.
