Summer Game Plan
Summer is approaching fast! As the temperature rises, your list of todo’s may be getting longer and longer. While many of them can be fun and enjoyable, organizing a vacation or trip, digging out the Summer clothes, and settling in for warmer weather all bring their own set of challenges.
It can be easy to get laser-focused on living the next few months to the fullest. The Summer never seems to feel long enough! Maintaining our mental wellness may seem like a given when we are having so much fun, but planning and preparing can take a lot out of us.
This week, we would love to share a few helpful tips on how to start your Summer off on the right foot. By keeping a balanced schedule, prioritizing needs, and valuing true rest, we can be sure to enjoy the Summer in a healthy and sustainable way!
Tallying Tomorrow
Thinking about the future can be a helpful wellness practice for many challenges. Specifically for the Summer, however, thinking about how to balance for work and relaxation can be at the forefront of our worries. “We’re hardwired to think that summer is relaxing because we had it off as kids, but as adults, we still have full-time jobs, and when we do take time off, we often come back to hundreds of emails, ” says Romy Mushtaq, M.D., a neurologist and the chief wellness officer for Evolution Hospitality.
Many people don’t take time off in general for this exact reason, but it’s an expected outcome of setting healthy boundaries and leadership encourages it. Employees who take the time to focus on wellness perform better in the workplace. Going on a vacation, or even just staying in and spending quality time with others, benefits the brain and refuels us mentally.
It never makes you a bad team member to take the time you need for wellness. It’s easy to keep working through stress, but not sustainable. Let yourself have a rest and trust in your own ability to make up the time when you come back.
Focus First
On that same note, being a member of a team means helping out when someone needs a fall back. Your leadership in your workplace or organization knows how to tackle someone going on a vacay! It’s an important part of managing a team. It’s important to focus on the self, especially when feelings of stress or burnout are looming.
Stress and burnout can be exacerbated when those around us are having fun with their families and taking time for vacations, but we feel chained to the desk. Putting our own needs first, in this instance, means taking action to prevent feelings of resentment and FOMO (fear of missing out) by asking ourselves what we really need to feel fulfilled.
The summer is an awesome time to create those satisfying fulfillments. When the weather is nice, it’s easier for a walk to give us the vitamin D we need to improve our mood. Local events like farmer’s markets and live shows happen more frequently and being around the excitement can easily help us disconnect during our busy schedules.
Resting Realistically
Sometimes the finality of the Summer can incite feelings of anxious excitement. Some of us want to make the most of this time for our kids or loved ones. This can lead to cramming too many things into a tight schedule and doing more harm than good, however.
Being realistic with our time can increase the enjoyment we get from each activity because it reduces the stress surrounding them. We can remind ourselves that opportunities that we allow to pass are not “missed” or “sacrificed”. They are released in the interest of our overall happiness. This reframe can be the difference between burnout and real, restful relaxation.
Life is about the journey as much as the destination, so make yours enjoyable this Summer with focused mental wellness!
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