Quick Tips for Summer Sanity

For most, if not all of us, summer will look incredibly different. For those of us with kids, they might be enjoying summer camps or water parks, or lounging around the house while we keep plugging away. In summer, our vacations, travel, or fun outings can be so amazing while we are in them... but feel overwhelming before and after due to our many responsibilities. Many of us, myself included, struggle with the lack of structure and consistency that the school year can provide. After going through this transition now for over 10 years, I've realized that some of the best tools and strategies I've pulled from have remained fairly simple. Below are 3 things that I KNOW will help you feel just a tad more successful as you transition into summer:

Get Agile

To all you fellow type-A planners like me, take a deep breath and keep reading. To all you non-planning, laid-back 'go with the flow' types, feel free to skip to the next tip. Being unplanned is very hard for me, but there is almost nothing more valuable that I can practice right now than letting go of the planning and being open to continual changes. Every. Single. Day.

By now, many of us have become more practiced at having everything canceled on us when we least expected it. A good friend put it best, "I'm developing a new super power of NOT getting upset when things get canceled!" And I agree- most of us have become more adept at accepting the events that continue to be removed or replaced. The one thing that is still incredibly difficult for me to let go of is re-planning. The minute something gets canceled or changed, my natural reaction is to move through a series of logistical ninja moves to "figure out the next plan!!" Some days, there is no next plan. There is also rarely a guarantee that your next option          ˜ is even going to be available. So, being able to constantly flex and adapt without getting too attached to the outcome is huge. The less you can get attached to "what was supposed to happen", the happier you are going to be with your current situation.

Stick with a Daily Healthy Habit

For me, this looks like some kind of movement-related activity alone in the mornings - each and every day. It might be a dog walk, a few yoga moves, or an early morning bike ride before we all start the day... but it is crucial to my own ability to handle the chaos of working parent life. As my daughter and I were saying goodnight to each other last night, she sweetly asked me, "Mom, could you please not go on a morning bike ride or walk so that you can snuggle with me in the morning?" I took a deep breath and said, "No, sweetie. I cannot. Those morning walks keep me healthy and help me be a better mom to you the rest of the day." It's true. They are my saving grace.

You most likely have your own saving grace: Reading quietly alone in a special chair at night, Journaling in the morning about thoughts and ideas, Singing in your car on a drive by yourself. Don't lose it. Don't let that healthy habit get pushed to the side. If you aren't able to do your favorite healthy habit (ie, go to a daily workout class), what could you create instead? What else could you do that would create a little bit of "YOU" time between the chaos?

And remember - I am stressing healthy habits here, not bingeing on 5 hours of reality TV or drinking an extra bottle of wine. It's true that those might be enjoyed in the moment, but there is probably something better out there that can allow you some enjoyment without the guilt of our not-so-healthy pleasures.

Stay Connected

This one is so important. We need to stay connected with others for our own mental happiness (it's a HUGE happiness predictor, people!). I've discovered that walking with friends is great, but going only at times when our schedules line up. Connecting with select people on Marco Polo or other chatting apps can be helpful, even creating a small group so that everyone can be involved while listening on their own schedules. Even simply calling people on the phone or checking in via text to see how friends are doing. The smallest little check-in might have a huge impact on someone when he or she is having a bad day. Not only that, but knowing you made a positive difference for someone else will boost your own happiness levels. I know these are only small actions, but using them together will help you feel as if your tomorrow is just 10% brighter than yesterday. You got this.