It is so important make space. To enjoy your time. To give yourself some slack. To adopt a leisurely pace. Why don’t you slow down this summer?
Why should you slow down this summer?
From now until September, challenge yourself to make the summer feel long, lazy, and relaxing. You can slow down this summer by making some intentional choices about your time, your energy, your priorities, and your mindset.
For those of us with fast paced lifestyle, giving yourself permission to slow down might be tougher than we think. But remember what Stephen Covey said in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, sharpening the saw is “preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have – you.”
When you slow down, you open your mind to creative productivity, to personal growth, and to healthier living. So many of us are looking for a more peaceful, gentle pace of life. Why not let yourself have a slower summer?
Five ways to slow down this summer
Be mindful.
Remember when your summer went by SO FAST as a kid? Days seemed to run into one anther, and vacation seemed to slip by in a flash. Don’t accept that now – become more mindful. Observe and appreciate your surroundings. Take an extra moment to grateful for the warm days, the sunshine in the early evening, the taste of fresh, summertime produce.
Make intentional choices.
At the beginning of the summer, set some goals. Ask yourself: when this summer is over, what will make me feel content with my summer? What are those things that you know you’d like to do when the pace of your life has slowed down. Is it a hobby? Is it reading a book you’ve been meaning to pick up? Is it spending time with friends? What about having down time for yourself? Or is it visiting a special place?
Be selective with your time.
Think about how you’d like to spend your time. There are 15 weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. How will you make the most of each of them? Make a list of all the weekends in the summer, and make “plans” for each one. This doesn’t mean that each weekend has to be choc-full of activity. Instead, you can plan to stay close to home one weekend, take a day trip during another, or enjoy a “staycation” in your home town. Just make sure that by the end of your summer plans, you have met the intentional goals you’ve chosen.
Change your schedule.
In their Happier podcast, Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft have talked about the importance of making the summer feel special. They recommend switching up your routine. If you have children in school, this might be given to you. If not, try to wake up at a different time, or commit to a lunch out once per week, or catching up with a friend on Wednesday nights.
Approach the summer with an open mind.
Regardless of what you plan or what you intend, part of slowing down and enjoying the summertime is allowing yourself to let go of plans and goals. Cut yourself some slack. And, if an opportunity arises spontaneously, take it .
How will you slow down this summer?
I’d love to know how you plan to slow down this summer! Let me know in the comments.
Special note: This summer, you will see less of a consistent, weekly blog post from me. To slow down my summer, I plan to post 2-3 times per month. But, please keep your ideas for blog posts coming! I will compile so that when the fall rolls around, I can be full of exciting, new ideas and content that you want.
© 2017 Caitlin W Howe, LLC
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