Though summer is beginning to wind down, I usually find that these next few weeks are when things can get very hectic leading into the fall season.
That’s why I’ve created this list of five self-care strategies to ensure that you hit the ground running this fall, feeling re-energized and ready to finish the year strong.
Challenge: Can you accomplish all five of these by the end of August?
- Enjoy the outdoors. Before we know it, it will be fall, and then winter again! The heat, especially here in Atlanta, can be suffocating at times. But if you are like me, when it starts to get cool around November or so, you think back nostalgically to the summer heat and wish you had taken advantage of it more. What do you like to do outdoors? Whether it’s fishing, camping, hiking, or simply going for a morning walk at the park, see if you can make time to connect with nature a little more before the weather cools off. Getting outside is good for our minds and our bodies, and can be an amazing form of self-care.
- Get organized. Did you miss the spring-cleaning season? No shame in that! It’s not too late. Summer is a great chance to get things straightened up before the hustle and bustle of fall comes around. Identify a couple of areas in your home or at your office that you can clean, re-organize and de-clutter. You’ll be glad you did it now when things aren’t as busy. Organizing your frequently-used spaces can help you feel relaxed and at ease, and can increase productivity. (Side note: If you are interested in learning more about ways to de-clutter, Joshua Becker’s book The More of Less is a great resource about minimizing and how it can positively affect your life.)
- Set intentions. Can you believe that we are over halfway through 2018? Now is the time to renew your intentions for the year. Think back to the New Year’s resolutions you set back in January. How are you doing on those? What have you accomplished so far and what have you been lax with? Are there things you want to work on more in these last few months of the year? Re-assessing and resetting your intentions for these last several months will guide how you spend your time better and help you reach your goals.
- Plan a “stay-cation”. We tend to think of vacations as going far far away from home for a whole week, and those kinds of vacations usually require lots of money, time off work, maybe even dog-sitters or other arrangements. Try expanding your idea of a vacation. A “stay-cation” can be just as effective in giving you that post-vacation feeling of rejuvenation! Take a short day trip to a nearby destination that you’ve never been to before. I’m willing to bet that there’s lots to see even within 100 miles of wherever you are that you haven’t explored yet. When we appreciate what’s in our own backyard, traveling and exploring becomes a lot more realistic and practical.
- Catch up with a friend. There’s almost always a friend or two that come to mind when you think of people you haven’t talked to in a while, particularly in these summer months when things are so busy. Nourish one of your friendships by reaching out to someone you haven’t caught up with in a while. Maybe they can join you on your stay-cation or an outdoor adventure! Nurturing your friendships is a good kind of self-care because these relationships are beneficial to your emotional and mental health. As with any healthy relationship, you get out what you put in.
Was this list helpful to you? Do you have any of your own summer self-care tips you’d like to share? Feel free to comment or e-mail me your thoughts. 🙂