Summers are for relaxation – not stress! So no matter what you have planned for this summer – whether it’s a vacation, a home improvement project, or anything else – make sure that you’ve planned it in a way that will reduce your stress to a bare minimum.
And if you need some tips on how to do that, good news: that’s what we’re here for! Let’s walk through a few ways to de-stress some common summer activities
Perfect your vacation plans
Vacations are a summer staple, of course, and they’re supposed to help you unwind – but, as anyone who has ever actually been on a vacation can tell you, vacations hold plenty of their own unique stresses. That’s why it’s key to plan ahead – and to look for ways to cut down on the stress.
If you’re traveling by plane, maybe you should look into one of those fancy fast lanes that some airports have. Frequent travelers can invest in TSA Pre-Check, a program that lets them breeze through some of the security requirements.
Traveling someplace new and different? Be sure to prepare yourself for any culture shock ahead of time. You don’t want to be scrambling to figure out how to tip or how to ask for directions when you’re trying to enjoy your vacation. And remember that even domestic destinations may have cultures of their own – if you’re going to Las Vegas, for instance, you may want to brush up on casino etiquette before you leave.
Don’t work so hard on summer projects
Summer is also a time for home improvement – after cleaning your house out in the spring (you did that, right?) it’s time to fix your house up for the summer. But before you knock down any walls or rip up any gardens, take the time to carefully plan your entire project from start to finish. Allot more time and money than you think you’ll need, because nothing is more stressful than watching fall approach with your whole house still in disarray.
Are you capable of doing all the different parts of your project yourself? Maybe it’s better to hire a contractor to handle some parts of it. Maybe you can put up the walls of your new addition, but it’s probably best to hire and plumber and an electrician to handle things that fall under their areas of expertise. When things go wrong with your electrical system or plumbing, it can be a dangerous disaster. Play it safe.
Welcome the kids home – then find a way to get them out
Summer also means summer vacation, which is the best time of the year to be a kid and the worst time of the year to be a parent. It’s wonderful to have your kids around again, but you have work to do, and having your kids in the house all summer can be very stressful.
Of course, that’s why God invented summer camp. Let your children pick their favorite type of camp, so that leaving for a bit becomes fun and exciting instead of scary (and mandatory).
You can also share parenting duties in the summer. Host a big sleepover – and then hope that somebody else’s mom or dad returns the favor. When parents work together, beautiful things happen. It’s just one of many ways to reduce your stress this summer.