How to Live a Stress-Free Summer
When thinking of summertime, we tend to think of the beach, happy children, flip flops, and living a more relaxed lifestyle in the months of June through August. We have movies and songs to thank for putting these ideas into our heads about the ability to live a full carefree summer, BUT… can any of us really afford to postpone all of our responsibilities for 3 whole months? Probably not. The reality of it is, summer can be stressful – very stressful. Now don’t get me wrong, summer is an amazing season full of adventures, family fun, relaxation, and vacations, but unfortunately, it is still part of life, and with that comes stress. 
The nice thing about stress (if there is such a thing) is many times once the root of the cause is acknowledged, one can work towards fixing the problem and alleviate the stress.
According to an article written by Elizabeth Scott, there are 4 elements that tend to trigger “hidden summer stress”:
1. Children – Now that school is out for 3 months, parents need to readjust their schedules which can become extremely stressful.
2. Vacation Expectations – Vacations are a wonderful family fun experience, however, when each person has their own vacation expectations, it becomes hard to find the perfect trip that everyone can enjoy.
3. Covering Co-Workers – Unfortunately, everyone in the office has the same idea around taking a summer vacation, leaving more work to take on due to the limited number of people in the office during the summer months.
4. Too Much Fun – The days are longer and many people will cram in as much as they physically can and eventually have a hard time keeping up with the crazy schedule they have created.
If any of the above contribute to your summer stress? Elizabeth Scott also provides helpful tips on how to avoid it:
1. Keep the Children Occupied – If summer camp is not an option, try coming up with other fun activities they may enjoy to keep them busy.
2. Pace Yourself – Always remember it’s okay to say no every once in a while. Just because the days are longer doesn’t mean you need to keep busy at all times; relax, you deserve it.
3. Set Boundaries – Don’t lose focus, especially at work. We all get a case of the summer fever at times but it doesn’t need to cause unnecessary stress. Stay focused during the week and save the relaxation for the weekends.
4. Take a Mini-Vacation – if you don’t have the time or funds for a full-blown vacation; try taking a full weekend off at home. Disconnect yourself from the world for a few days and relax, spend time with the family and try and remember things you enjoy doing and just do them!
5. Utilize Summer Stress Relievers – Try new calming activities such as yoga, a morning exercise routine, writing in a journal, etc…
Enjoy your summer and don’t let stress get the best of you!