Planning a summer that’s a whole lot better (AD)

collaborations

Planning a summer that’s a whole lot better (AD)

collaborations

Planning a summer that’s a whole lot better (AD)

by | collaborations

So the official British summer time is here, and in typical fashion it’s chucking it down with rain as I type this! But whatever the weather, the summer is a time when a lot of us have a change of routine, take time off for holidays and simply want to make the most of the good weather we do experience.

This summer is very different for me as it’s the first time I’ve had Finley off for the 6 weeks holidays. We have him in holiday club two days a week and with my parents another day so I have 3 days to work, and then have the rest of the week and weekend to enjoy with him.

I’ve been super aware that 6 weeks can fly by, and I really want to make the most of the summer and enjoy the time I have with Fin before he starts school. 

I’ve been thinking about how I can be intentional about how I spend this time, and in partnership with Lizi’s Granola’s I’m sharing some tips on how you can plan a summer that’s a whole lot better!

Write a summer bucket list

I love writing lists of things I want to do or experience each season and summer is no different! I’ve thought about activities I can do with Finley solo, with friends and with James as well as just things I’d like to do as a bit of self care for me. I’ve also looked at lots of blog posts which list out ideas for events happening locally, as well as ideas for indoors and outdoors play so I always have something I can do to enjoy time with Fin no matter the weather.

A few of the things on our summer bucket list are:

  • A trip to the beach with fish and chips and ice cream
  • Having a day in the garden with the paddling pool out (weather dependant of course!)
  • Visiting the forest to paddle in the stream and have a picnic
  • A visit to a farm 
  • Taking the day off for my birthday in August!

What’s on your summer bucket list?

Creating a new routine

For most of us, especially if we have kids, the summer can present a totally new routine to what we’re used to. Having a holiday or time off can have a similar effect. I actually think the change in routine is really nice, but at the same time I tend to struggle a bit when I don’t have at least a bit of a pattern to my days. Plus having some kind of routine helps Finley as well.

Consider what routine would be helpful for you over the summer. What would make things run more smoothly and makes things more enjoyable?

For me, having some kind of morning routine really helps. It can be soooo tempting to stay in bed but I know that having a regular wake up time for us all helps avoid nightmare bedtimes (for the 4 year old!) later in the day. Then having a predictable routine leading to when we either head out for the day or walk to holiday club has been useful in making sure we’re all ready on time and don’t have too many meltdowns in the process!

Another part of building a routine for me has been around exercise. I find that exercise is the thing I do that’s extra reliant on having a routine in place. When my routine goes out the window, so does my exercise! Having a bit of a routine around when I’m going to move my body helps me stay healthy and happy over the summer.

Getting organised

I know that getting organised doesn’t sound all that fun but hear me out! When you’re organised over the summer (and in fact any time) it makes everything flow so much more easily so you can spend more time having fun and less time feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Some things you can organise for more summer flow:

Meal planning – You can go the whole way with a structured plan and recipes you’d like to make or if you prefer to do this lighty, just write a list of seasonal ingredients you can use to make a few simple meals. If you’re a granola fan, Lizi’s has recipe ideas on their blog. 

Your schedule – this taps back into having a summer bucket list and what I’ve found is that when you can get activities and things booked in and sorted in advance you feel a lot less stressed out about what you’re going to do and how you’re going to spend your time. I try to find a balance with this as I don’t like feeling over scheduled, but just having a couple of things booked in over the summer helps me relax a bit!

Any life admin tasks that need completing over the summer – as I have a little one starting school in September I have a long list of things like buying school shoes and uniforms, filling in paperwork, sending a thank you gift to his nursery etc. I’ve been trying to get a head start on as much of this stuff as possible so that I’m not leaving it until the last minute at the end of the summer. It puts my mind at rest just knowing I’m on top of things. Basically if you can get some of these things done at the start of the summer you can kick back and relax for the rest of it!

There’s a few of my tips for planning a wonderful summer!

I’d love to know how you’re planning your summer, what’s on your summer bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

For more hints, tips and inspiration head over to Lizi’s Facebook and Lizi’s Instagram pages and like their page.

*Post in partnership with Lizi’s Granola’s

Aligned Client Attraction System

Get my simple ‘pick n mix’ style system for how to attract, connect with and convert clients – all in a way that you enjoy and that feels aligned for you.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest