Ah, summer. The long, hot days seem like they’ll
last forever. But all too often I find myself looking at the calendar and asking:
What happened to summer? Where did the time go?
It usually starts like this: “Wow! I can’t believe
it’s finally Memorial Day Weekend. Hooray for the beginning of the summer
season. I’m going to enjoy every minute of it this year.”
Then: “How is July Fourth next week? Wasn’t it just
Memorial Day? There’s so much I still want to do…”
And then: “Labor Day? Back to school? Wait, what?
Where did the summer go?”
Yup. Every year, summer flies by in the blink of an
eye.
I’m writing this on July 1. Stores are geared up for
summer and having sales on beach towels, bathing suits, sandals, and everything
red, white and blue for the holiday. People are planning vacations, day trips,
and barbeques. Everyone is looking forward to the long summer that lies ahead.
However, it’s already the halfway point of summer. You
may be wondering how July got here so fast, and thinking that summer is passing
you by. But don’t worry, there’s still time to make the most of the sunny days
ahead.
If you’re like a lot of people, you want to have a
fun and fabulous summer, filled with great memories. You may even have a summer
“bucket list” of things to do, like take a vacation, visit friends, hit the
beach, lake, or pool… So what’s stopping you? Sometimes it’s yourself!
People can get caught up in routines and don’t make
time for new experiences. Summer is the perfect time to change your patterns
and actively seek out things to do with friends and family. How can you make
more time for fun? Here are a few suggestions.
*
Socially distance yourself from social media. I’m not saying
turn off all social media for the summer (unless you want to). But if you find
yourself on the hamster wheel of constantly posting, commenting, sharing… Take
a break.
Don’t get me wrong, technology is great—in limits.
But spending every waking hour on your phone or tablet is a huge time suck. If
you’re staring at a screen all day or evening, you’re wasting valuable time.
Do an update across all your social media telling
friends and followers you’re taking a summer vacation from posting. You’re on
hiatus the same way TV shows are during the summer.
Let your friends know you’ll be posting
infrequently, when you have something really
important to share, or randomly checking in once or twice a week. This
limits your time spent online and you won’t get pulled into reading everyone
else’s posts and watching cat videos.
Your free time can now be focused on other things.
Maybe you’ll use your previous social media time to go to a concert with your
husband or best friend, take a walk around the neighborhood, or garden.
*
Leave your phone alone. Cell phones are just
mini-computers and they can be a big drain on your time. Texting, playing
games, scrolling through sites, and streaming is all perfectly fine. But if
your head is always bent down over your phone, you’re missing out on what’s
happening around you in the real world. (Have you ever seen someone with their
eyes glued to their phone walk out in front of traffic? Yikes!)
As much as you can, leave your phone off or put it on
silent mode. Turn off alerts for new texts, social media posts, etc. Tell
friends and family you’re blocking out time each day as a no phone zone. Don’t
text, check messages, or play games for a few hours each day.
Remember the days before cell phones? People weren’t
always instantly available, and when someone called, they left a message. Try
going “old school” during the evenings or weekend mornings, then engage in an
activity that’s hard to do with a phone in your hand, such as riding a horse,
swimming, or playing tennis. Why not call a friend ahead of time and ask them
to join you?
*
Get off the couch and go somewhere. Yes, summer is a time
for relaxing and taking it easy, but you can lounge on the couch and
binge-watch your favorite show year-round. Don’t waste a beautiful summer day
indoors. Your show (or the 500th rerun of Law & Order) will still be there in the cold days of January.
Turn off the TV and take a day trip to a local park
or historical site. Visit friends or family for a barbeque, or go to a zoo or an
amusement park. Find a fireworks display.
Most people still have to work in the summer (unless
you’re employed by a school or are retired) so how do you incorporate summer
fun after work? Here are a few ideas:
· * Do outdoor hobbies until it gets dark: Ride
your bike or walkaround your neighborhood or local park, garden, go fishing, or
play sports.
· * Find a free outdoor concert or play (most
start around 7 or 7:30pm). Or make your own concert: sit in the back yard with
food or drinks and listen to your favorite music.
· * Fire up the grill and cook dinner
outside, or pack a picnic dinner and take it to a park, the beach, or a lake.
Or, visit a restaurant you’ve never been to before and eat dinner outside.
Right now you might be asking: “But what if the
temperatures are soaring and it’s horribly humid? Who wants to visit a zoo if
it’s really hot out?” I understand. Nobody wants to be outside when it’s so hot
you’ll catch fire.
On a sweltering day (or when it’s raining), it’s perfectly
fine to hide in the house, catching up on chores, scrolling social media, or
watching a few episodes of a show. But see if you can use your imagination to
make the day different. Watch a movie you’ve heard about but have never seen,
or try a few episodes of a show a friend recommended.
You can turn off the TV and try your hand at a new
indoor hobby, like painting or doing puzzles. Visit the library and check out
books to read in the air conditioning, take an in-person class or workshop, experiment
with a new dinner recipe, or learn how to make ice cream.
No matter what you do, the less time spent in front
of a screen (whether it’s a computer, tablet, or phone) the more time you’ll
have to enjoy yourself this summer. Do what you can to change your routines. Be
active. Try new things. Treasure each day, evening, and weekend.
Summer will be gone before we know it, so enjoy the
season!
Until next time,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has
published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 8 mystery/horror
ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare
readers with her horror and mystery stories.
Her latest release, For Love’s Sake, an epic
historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.
In August 2024, she released Surreal
Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and
does—happen in this anthology.
Kelli also released her fourth gay romance, A
Thousand Summer Secrets, in 2024. This tender contemporary romance
takes place over a summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while seeking
love and acceptance.
She published The Route 9 Killer, a
mystery/thriller set in Central NJ, in 2023.
Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her
website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com
for a full title list and social media links.
