Summer is a season of opportunity. Are you going to lie by the pool all Saturday sipping on lemonade and reading a book? Or is the day better spent tending to your garden and playing with the kids? Lucky for you, summer provides the time to do these activities and more!
Of course, the freedom of summer hours and school-free days can make deciding exactly how to fill your time challenging. With limitless possibilities and a desire to do a bit of everything, nailing down a plan takes determination and direction. Here are a few life improvements to consider incorporating as you prepare to have the best summer yet.
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1. Get Your Finances in Order
There’s no shortage of travel, socializing, and hosting possibilities during summertime. However, these fun activities aren’t free. So, take the chance to get your finances on the right track before you dive head-first into the season’s fun.
Start by calculating what you spend each month compared to what you make. If you’re spending less than you make, that’s great! Figure out what you want to do with your leftover funds like planning a trip or upping your investment contributions. If you’re spending more than you make, it’s time to make some changes. See what non-essential areas are monopolizing your budget, like entertainment, and spend less until you can get back on track.
Having and sticking to a budget isn’t all that goes into getting your finances in order, though. Remember to do a quick comparison of your big-ticket items, like insurance and utilities, to ensure you’re getting the best rates. From there, you can explore ways to possibly lower your payments like refinancing or getting an updated home insurance quote. You may find options that can give you more room in your budget, meaning more money for summer fun.
2. Improve Your Health
Spending time outdoors and coping with triple-digit heat may not have you feeling your best. This is especially true if you could be taking better care of yourself. So, this summer, focus on prioritizing your physical health to optimize your experience.
That all starts with what you eat. Summer produce is unmatched, so incorporate more in-season fresh fruits and veggies into your diet. If you don’t know where to start, give a new recipe a spin once a week until something sticks. Working out in the summer also has distinct advantages like being able to take your workouts outdoors (with water, of course). Throw on your favorite workout outfit and SPF before hitting the trails for a fun, sweaty run or walking the dog.
Even taking small steps to eat better and move more can make a big difference in your summer experience. You’ll have more energy and be fueled for all of the other activities on your to-do list. Soon enough, you’ll be feeling better than ever.
3. Declutter Your Space
When the heat is too much to bear or a summer storm strikes, nothing beats sitting in some A/C. But when you’re surrounded by clutter, it’s not as relaxing as you’d hope. Take your summer up a notch by going through your belongings and ditching what you don’t need.
The easiest approach is to focus on one area or room per decluttering session. Take a hall closet, for example. Turn on your favorite podcast or playlist and get to work. Pull out every jacket and pair of shoes, and decide if they’re worth keeping, should be donated, or can be tossed. Follow this same process as you make your way through your entire home.
Even if it takes a few months to finish the job, it’s worth it. You’ll know exactly what you own and can get rid of what isn’t used or needed. Then, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the benefits of a clutter-free home.
4. Plan a Digital Detox
When it’s cold outside, you almost have no choice but to be glued to technology. It’s simply too cold to do much of anything else. But summertime is a different story. There’s no shortage of fun activities away from screens, giving you the perfect justification for a digital detox.
How that takes shape is up to you. You could go cold turkey and have screen-free days or weeks. Or decide on a block of a few hours each day to be digital-free. This detox gives you time to invest in old-school pastimes like reading physical books, having face-to-face conversations, or crafting.
When you’re digital-free, notice how often you reach for your phone or think about a streaming platform. It can be insightful to see first-hand how much technology influences your daily habits. With dedication, you’ll reduce your reliance on devices slowly but surely. Don’t worry, though, what you miss online will be waiting for you when you return to the digital world.
Read also: The Benefits of Choosing Farm-Fresh Products
Best Summer Ever
The best part? These options are just a few of the ways you can have the best summer of your life. Give them all a try or commit fully to one or two and reap the benefits. Then, with confidence in your new routine, you can return to reading poolside fully relaxed.