Long summer days are wonderful, stretching out before you in all their possibility. Don’t let these golden hours slip away from you by going about business as usual! Taking advantage of extra long days could be a perfect opportunity to get more fun and active time in with friends and family under the sun. If you’ve ever found yourself wishing you could make the day longer, summer happens to be on your side. These five tips will help you get the most out of your summer days so you can savor every moment of the season!
- Rise earlier and embrace the morning sun! Thankfully, it’s easier to wake up earlier in the summer with the help of enthusiastically warbling birds and first morning rays peeking through your curtains. The body wakes up gentlest and most naturally when it rises with the sun. Enjoy a little extra time first thing in the morning to meditate, stretch, go for a run, or sip your coffee, knowing you don’t have to rush.
- Dine al fresco. Take dinner outside and make an ordinary weeknight feel special with the backdrop of a sunset or under a blanket of stars. Keep it casual with fresh salads, grilled veggies and protein, opting for simplicity. Breaking out of your normal dinner routine gets everyone together for a simple, healthy meal and out of the house to enjoy each other’s company.
- Get outside before work. Ever feel like between rolling out of bed in the morning and hitting the pillow at night, you’ve gone from one freezing building to another? Make sure you get outside before leaving for work, whether it’s for run or a walk around the neighborhood for fresh air and a little energy boost. Early morning exercise can be a form of meditation, setting you up for a more productive day and have a positive impact on your mood.
- Nix TV Time for a new outdoor hobby. Snuggling up on the couch and watching a favorite show is ideal for those deep winter nights when the thermometer dips (no judgment, just mugs of protein hot cocoa). The average American watches over 5 hours of television a day, which means you could free up some serious time to spend outside, making memories and getting healthy with your friends and family this summer. Skip a tv show in favor of a family bike ride, an evening paddle board, or a yoga class in the park, besides, it’s not like Netflix and Roku won’t hold your place!
- Schedule summer hang time to just chill out. It’s easy to want to make the most out of summer by cramming as much fun as possible into each day, night, and weekend. But making time to chill out, without any plans, can be rejuvenating on a whole new level that a packed schedule just can’t compete with. Enjoy this hydrating collagen coconut smoothie in a lawn chair with a good book, take a nap, or run through the sprinklers with your kids. Making room for the unplanned and the unstructured takes the pressure off so you can enjoy the sweetness of summer without having to rush on to the next thing.