Tips on Beating the Summer Blues- You CAN DO IT!! 

It’s Summer Time! Which for a lot of people means they are out of school, on vacation, the kids are out of school, no homework, there’s no schedule,  and you tend to get out of a routine. And while there’s fun to be had over the summer months, we all know that be it summer or any season of the year, sometimes you can get the blues. You might find yourself sad, lonely, depressed, anxious, sleeping late, being lazy, and just not really feeling motivated to do a whole lot. It is summer vacation after all, right?

Well, even though it’s summer time, it doesn’t mean you have to stay lazy or unmotivated.

I find that when I am off my normal routine or schedule, I start to get lazy, I get unmotivated, I just want to lay around and watch TV, and I kind of just wanna be left alone. So here’s some tips to try those beat those blues.

1. Read a good book. It can be any book, but make it something fun. Make it something that you normally wouldn’t read. Nothing that’s educational or that you would normally have to read during school or for school. Totally choose a book that’s just for pure FUN and enjoyment.
2. Work a puzzle. Now, when I say puzzle, I mean like a 1000 piece board type puzzle. I love puzzles. I grew up working puzzles with my dad, and Bryan and I used to work puzzles for a long time.  And then when we got our dogs, well, they would eat the pieces, so we actually have not done a puzzle in a while. But there’s something fun about using your brain, working your fingers, and putting together a big puzzle and seeing the end product. Plus, they take a while, so it might take you all your summer to do this, but it’s just a fun little project that you can do with your spouse, your kids, and just make it something fun.
3. Take a walk or a nature hike. Sometimes, when I get bored, or just need a fresh change of scenery, I will actually walk up and down our long driveway to put mail in the mailbox, or check the mail, or just walk a few laps down the driveway simply for a change of scenery. If you have nature trails around your house or have access to anything like that, take a nature trail hike. Anything to get out of your house, and to breathe in some fresh air.
4. Go see a movie. There are a bunch of movie theaters now that actually will serve you food and wait on you while you watch the movie. Some of them even have recliner chairs. Watching a movie during the heat of the day in the summer months can be something fun to do with friends, with your kids, with your spouse… anything to just break the monotony of being cooped up inside your house alllllll day.
5. Have a lunch date or dinner date. This could be with friends, this could be with fellow teachers, this can be with family, this can be with your kids, it could be with anybody. But again, it’s nice to actually have something planned ahead of time, because it gives you something to look forward to.
6. Watch some Netflix. When I say watch some Netflix, I don’t mean to watch 24 seasons of Gilmore Girls in one sitting. But sometimes picking a long series can actually be fun, especially if you’ve never seen them before. To me, watching TV is just a way to go, what I like to call brain dead. You don’t have to think about anything. You can get lost in the characters in the show and if you have a series that you’re watching that has many episodes, that could also last you the whole summer.
7. Plan a short vacation. I say short vacation, but if you have the time and money to plan a long vacation, by all means, do it! I know I love to plan vacations, it gives me something to look forward to, it helps me take my mind off of anything that may be going on in life right now, that’s just not pleasant or something that I just don’t want to think about. If you can’t plan a long vacation or a big vacation, take a quick trip to the beach or if it’s just you and your spouse, book something at a local bed and breakfast. Just GET AWAY!!

So these are just some quick tips and ideas to help you try to beat the summer blues. If you have any other ideas or suggestions of things that you do to beat the blues, I would love to hear them! Feel free to drop me a line in the comments or email me at brandy@itsthemartins.com .

Have a HAPPY SUMMER!!!
Brandy 🙂