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With the first official day of summer just a week away, it feels as though many elements of life feel jumbled and out of place. Feeling the warmth of the sun and planning exciting summer adventures makes it hard to stay focused – especially as a student who is working remotely for the summer.
So, follow along for some tips and tricks if you are like me and hope to find structure in your days for a smooth transition into summer!
Create a Schedule!
If you know me or have read any of my previous blog posts, you know that I love having a schedule. During summertime, it is essential to allow yourself to fall into a routine.
A week ago, I started working from home for my summer internship. Therefore, creating a schedule to keep track of my hours has helped me prepare for more structure. Within this schedule, I like to visualize days I have work, events like family gatherings, workout classes, or even plans with friends. When I look at my calendar – a simple desk calendar from Amazon – I can easily keep track of my busy schedule.
Having a calendar to visually see a schedule is a helpful way to stay organized. But, creating a schedule for personal needs is important too! Ensuring that you have the right amount of rest, the right amount of water, and the right amount of Vitamin D during your day, will also help you stay refreshed for the summer!
Tara’s Pro-tip: Sometimes, I lose track of time during the day due to the beautiful weather and become dehydrated. To stay hydrated, I carry around a large refillable water bottle with me wherever I go for the day. This helps me drink water throughout the day to provide me with energy when I am out in the hot sun!
Finally, if you are like me and work from home, making sure that you create time in your schedule to take a break outside and breathe in the fresh air is crucial. Staring at a screen for hours at a time can affect your brain and energy levels. So, take a five-minute break! Drink some coffee or water outside, and get back to work!
With a refreshed schedule, your summer will run smoothly!
Walk with a Buddy!
One of my favorite things to do during summertime is to enjoy the evening weather. After a long work day or even a lazy afternoon, I often call a friend or ask a family member to take a walk around a local park.
Spending at least an hour of your day walking around the outdoors and chatting with a friend can be really refreshing. It is the perfect way to reset your body and mind while also adding an extra workout to your schedule! Simply putting on a pair of sneakers and calling up a friend to go on a walk will help you clear your mind, lower your stress levels, and allow you to enjoy the evening summer weather.
Tara’s Pro-tip: If you have pets this is a great way to kill two birds with one stone and take them for a walk! They need the refresh as much as you do. I often bring my two dogs on walks with me! They love the outdoors as much as we do!
Clean Your Space!
During summertime, things can get messy. From running around with sandy toes from the beach, dripping sweat from a workout class, or trying to find reusable bags for the grocery store, your living space can look like a tornado ran through it.
Tara’s Pro-tip: Choose one day out of the week to thoroughly clean your space! This helps to eliminate future messes and make sure your area is refreshed and ready to be used.
For me, Sundays are my reset days. After a week of different activities, I choose Sunday to be the day when I take care of my space. Often on my list of things to complete are: laundry, vacuuming, dusting, and even writing out tasks for the following week.
According to Forbes Magazine, having a clean space improves many aspects of your life. In their article “The Mental Health Benefits of a Clean Home,” benefits like gaining a sense of control, practicing consistency, releasing endorphins, improving focus, and regulating your emotions are all explained.
Cleaning the space around you will allow for a feeling of accomplishment before diving into the week. With the sun shining all day during summer, it can be hard to find the motivation or time to clean up around you. So, pick one day of the week to refresh your space!
Finding what makes you happy during summertime is extremely important. Being able to keep up with a schedule, ensuring you make time to get outside, and keeping your space clean are all great ways to stay refreshed this summer!
Do you have some favorite ways you like to refresh your mind and body? Comment below!
Thank you for reading my first blog of the summer! Stay tuned for my next blog where I discuss books of the summer – some of my favorites and some of the most anticipated reads!