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Summertime is packed with activities and there are so many opportunities to go out and have some fun. Every summer I get excited for all of the things on my wish list that I want to do while the weather is nice; days at the beach, outdoor concerts, swimming in the lake, cook outs, camping, kayaking, biking, hiking, and day trips. And so does everyone else. Suddenly the invites come pouring in. Graduation parties, birthday parties, Fourth of July parties, cook outs, camping weekends, pool parties, etc. There are only so many weekends in the summer and we can’t do it all. If you say yes to every invite coming your way you’ll soon learn that your own summer wish list has never been touched and the time of the year that should be the most fun becomes a laundry list of to-dos. The only burn out you should have this summer is for your next marshmallow s’more.
You deserve a staycation this summer.
The invites are going to come in, and they’re probably already coming in fast. Once August approaches your family and friends will be in a flurry to try to get their events booked in before summer ends. So before that happens, open up your calendar and block a few weekends just for you. Only accept the invites that you really do not want to miss or are very important and politely decline the others. An, “I’m sorry, I already have plans,” will almost always suffice. You don’t have to tell them that your plans are just for you.
Your staycation doesn’t have to be at home, but it should be fairly local or at least a drive that is under two hours so you have the chance to relax. A staycation can be anything you want it to be. Craving a day just to laze about or read? Go for it. Take your book to the beach with a towel and a bottle of sunscreen and have that time for yourself. Missing family time because work and your social calendar doesn’t give you much space for quality time? Plan a family day or a date night. Time with loved ones is so important. Summertime memories are some of our strongest.
Is there something you used to do in the summer as a kid and you miss doing? A sleepover with good friends? A day at the lake? Watching fireflies light up at night? You can schedule that too.
This summer I have a few staycations planned close to home: a beach day, a visit to the sunflower field at Buttonwood Farm, an afternoon at a local vineyard, and a hunt for a great hot and buttery lobster roll. In the comments below I would love to hear your idea of the perfect summer staycation.
