How to Make the Most of the Summer Season
By Katey Schneider
4 Steps to Finding Your Summer Rhythm
Summer is quickly approaching! The weather is warming up and the sun is shining. I can almost smell the clouds of sunscreen and hear the sizzling of burgers and hot dogs on the grill. The pool glistening and our mindsets are shifting.
With the summer season on the horizon, it likely means our routines are shifting. Life may be slowing down or speeding up, but regardless, the summer brings us a new weekly rhythm.
Whether the kids are out of school for the summer or you’re ready to get outside and seize the season of being outdoors, summer will be over before we know it! Don’t let this season slip by — here are four steps for setting goals for your summer bucket list.
Start at the Finish Line
We’ve all heard that it’s best to “begin with the end in mind” from Stephen Covey. This applies to setting and achieving goals this summer season, too.
Start by determining what you what this season of life to look like. Do you want it to be productive? Relaxed? Do you want to tackle some projects you’ve been pushing off? Or spend more intentional time with others?
Shift your perspective and visualize yourself at the end of the summer. What are you feeling? What does your life look like in 3 months? What do you want to experience with your family and friends?
This will help you define what goals you have for this life season. They don’t have to be huge! These goals just have to be helpful and important to your life.
Prioritize the Essentials
Now, it’s time for a brain dump. Take a few moments and write, type, or think through everything you would like to do this season. Don’t overthink it, just get it all out there.
Here are a few examples! But, don’t let these limit your personal list.
If you want to feel accomplished, try these:
Start and finish a new book by the pool
Clean & organize the garage or pantry
Join an outdoor sports league (like volleyball or softball!)
Begin a new outdoor workout/exercise routine (walking, running, biking, etc.)
If you want to invest in your relationships, try these:
Commit 1-2 hours every other week to spend time with a friend
Spend at least three nights doing outdoor activities with your family
Plan 3-4 adventurous and intentional date nights with your spouse this season
If you want to try something new and creative, these might help:
Try a new seasonal dessert recipe each week
Pick five summer activities your city is hosting and go to them
Attempt a new hobby you’ve wanted to start for a while
Take a look at your list. It’s probably longer than you anticipated! Go through the list and prioritize what is most important to you.
What are the things you’re most excited for? Least excited for? Work your way through the list to determine your highest and lowest priorities.
Learn from the Past
Our past experiences shed light on our future endeavors. If you’re like me, you probably have created a huge list of goals you wanted to achieve, got overwhelmed, and didn’t finish all of them.
Or, you didn’t have any sort of plan or goals, and then you look back and wonder what you spent your time on. Either way, I’ve been there.
What is a realistic list of goals to accomplish during this season of life. Maybe you pick ONE goal. Just one thing you want to do this summer. And that is okay. If you have some more time or more energy this year, take on a few extra tasks.
Make sure you leave room for all of the regular things in your schedule. Family events, necessary gatherings, and other unexpected obligations pop up. Be sure to give yourself some breathing room when you’re setting your goals.
Make it Happen
Lastly, it’s time to make things happen! If you use a paper or digital calendar to keep your life organized, pull that out. We are getting to work. If not, just write or type these out in a list.
It’s best to set aside specific time blocks so that you achieve your goals. If you want to clean out your garage that you’ve been working on for three years, get a few hours scheduled on your calendar. If you want to read a book, purchase it and set it near your bedside table.
This is the time to put your goals into action. If they are just in your head or on a sticky note, they won’t get done.
Spread out some chunks of time over the next three months. Block it out on your calendar so they don’t get forgotten! Make the commitment to yourself as if you are promising someone else you will get it done.
Keep me updated!
If you try any of these tips, I want to know! Send me a text and let me know which one worked best to help you make a big decision in your life.