Summer is here and you might feel like you have so many plans that you are in over your head. Simply looking at the calendar might make you stressed out! The beach, the pool, seeing friends, traveling, vacations, cookouts, picnics, holidays and so much more. Today we are talking about keeping our sanity during one of the busiest times of the year, along with practicing saying no to some plans along the way.
Do you feel like you look at your schedule for the week on Sunday night and already feel overwhelmed? You are not alone! My mantra for this summer is to take it one day at a time. Of course, this is the time of year where the FOMO (fear of missing out) feels a bit heavier. The most important thing is that you listen to your body and are giving yourself enough rest. I will never forget the summer of my senior year of high school when everyone was having grad parties and squeezing in as much time as possible with classmates before everyone parted their ways. And guess what? I was utterly and completely exhausted. I didn't know how to say no for the fear of missing out on good times and people pleasing of course. Not only was I not listening to my body, but I also was not listening to my social battery and my mental health. Ultimately, any time in your life when you are not getting enough rest will result in burnout and the cycle continues. With that being said, make your top priority this summer to rest, and I promise the fun will still be there when you get up from your nap.
Our next helpful step is to plan rest and self care into your schedule. A bad habit I used to have was always filling up my schedule whenever I had availability. Someone would ask me in the morning if I was going to be free that evening to hang out, and even though I knew that I was going to be tired from working all day, I would still say yes because well... why not? I am free after work anyways. The night would roll around and of course I would be dreading having to leave the house once again. To avoid this series of unfortunate events, plan ahead for how you might feel that day and adjust accordingly. Of course, things happen and it won't always be perfect. But, if you know you are going to have a crazy busy Saturday, then don't make any stressful plans on Sunday. This is something that I had to drill into my brain, and now I actually make an effort to not make any plans on Sundays. That way I can do whatever I want within reason. Chill day at the pool, organize and declutter, catch up on laundry, go see my family, go to yoga, take a nap, the list goes on. For some this may not be possible to keep an entire day open and that is perfectly okay! If this is the case, scribble into your calendar when you are explicitly taking 30 minutes out of your evening to read, or go to an art class once a week with a friend. Whatever you choose to do to fill your cup, WRITE it down and commit to it just like you would commit to plans with someone else.
Above all else, prioritize yourself and what you would like to get out of this summer while keeping yourself in check *wink*
Love always,
Kare
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