It’s June (already!) and that means summer is all-but-officially here. When this time of year rolls around, I always feel invigorated to be more active, eat more healthily, and get more done. It’s the best time of year to harness that energy and make some awesome things happen. As part of that, I wanted to take the ideas in my head and organize them into a summer to-do list.
Why you should make a summer to-do list
If you articulate what you want to do and put a timeline on it, you’re more likely to make it happen than if the idea is just vaguely floating in your head. There have been so many times where I had all these ideas for things I wanted to do, but I never quite put them into concrete terms, and before I knew it, the opportunity had passed. Even if the things you want to do are simple and easy, if you aren’t purposeful about them, there’s a good chance they just won’t happen. And it’s no fun to spend your whole summer parked on the couch watching TV!
Take some time in the next couple of weeks to sit down and brain-dump all your ideas for summer fun. It can also be a good time to revisit your goals for the year, assess your progress, and see if there are things you can add to your list that will support reaching those goals. Once you have a bunch of things on the list, take a step back and see if it’s reasonable. Cut some things out if you need to, or make a note to move them later in the year. Pick a target date if you like. Be sure you post the list somewhere you will see it often so you don’t forget about all your fun ideas!
Ideas for your list
Try a new way to be active. Have you been meaning to check out the new spin studio in your neighborhood? Set a date and go do it. Think outside the box, and don’t just limit yourself to what you think of as “workouts”. Try a new sport like tennis or volleyball. Spend a half hour swimming laps (use a kickboard or fins if you have to!) or sign up for swimming lessons.
Do something new outside. Go pick strawberries. Take a tour of a local point of interest. Go on a hike somewhere new.
Do something special with friends/family. Whether it’s throwing a party, taking a trip, or hosting for the weekend, do something above and beyond the usual to connect with the people you love.
Freshen up your space. Pick a room in your house and give it a little update. Give your bathroom a fresh layer of paint or pick out new lamps for your living room. If you don’t have the budget for anything new, try rearranging a room with what you already have for something fresh but free.
Plan a day trip. You know that spot you’ve been wanting to check out, but it’s 2 hours away and that always seems so daunting? Pick a weekend and go for it. It’s not getting any closer, so you might as well just do it. Or, take it even further and book a bed and breakfast for the night.
Read a book. Bonus points if you can do it on a beach or on a blanket under a tree!
DIY something. Crafting and creating is always such a challenge for me, but it’s always so much more rewarding than mindlessly sitting in front of the TV or scrolling through Instagram on my phone. Make a wreath for your front door or breathe new life into old furniture from the thrift shop.
My summer to-do list
Design my home office. Although I wouldn’t mind having a smaller house, one perk of having extra space is that I have an entire room designated as my office. Currently, it’s a pretty bare bones setup with just an old desk, pillows and blankets for my dogs to lay on, and a few random things like my photo backdrops and printer. I’ve got a blank slate to work with, and I’d love to spruce it up with a couple pieces of furniture and some nice wall art.
Throw a party. I have a great back yard for having guests over (including a ridiculously huge tiki bar), and it’s high time I put it to use!
Plant things. There are lots of areas in my yard that could use some fresh new life, literally. And, it’ll make my house feel more like home.
Go trail running at least 7 times. I wanted to try my hand at trail running last year, but only managed to get around to it once. This year, I don’t want to miss the opportunity. I went once already last week, so I’m off to a good start!
Volunteer on the trail. I get 1 day of volunteer time from my company, and I have a date set up later this month to help with maintenance on one of my favorite trails.
Read! On my list: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Rose Society by Marie Lu, Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, and Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson.
Try rock climbing at least twice. There are a couple of rock climbing/bouldering gyms that I think would be fun. I’ve only been rock climbing a couple times before, but it’s a really interesting and challenging way to switch things up.
Have a picnic. When I’m outside, I’m usually hiking and don’t spend a lot of time stopped at scenic spots. I have a couple places picked out where I’d love to go to just to hang out for a couple hours.
What’s on your list?
This may be the push I needed to start a to-do list for fun things (as opposed to my daily to-do list for things I just have to get done!). I have several things in mind, both local and not local, that I want to do.
Btw, I love how you mentioned that you wouldn’t mind a smaller space. I feel like no one ever says that (at least in my circle); bigger house is always better. I moved into a smaller space three years ago and absolutely love it <3.
Yes, I definitely can get stuck in the reactive mode of just doing things on my list I MUST get done. I hope you can get out to do some awesome things this summer!
And yes, I definitely don’t think bigger is better! My house is probably still small by most people’s standards–it’s only about 1600 sq ft. But it’s 3 bedrooms for just the two of us and my dogs, so it’s a little overkill in my eyes. I would’ve preferred something more like 800-1200 sq ft, but there’s nothing in this area that size that still checked our boxes. Hopefully our next house will be more my speed. :)
Big Magic is great! I loved Gifts of Imperfection but I always prefer Brene Brown’s books as audios to listen to.
I quit my job back in Jan, largely due to health reasons but others as well. Since early March I’ve been building my own offerings, collaborating with others on workshops and retreats. This summer I will throw myself fully into several projects coming up and hopefully begin to turn a profit for myself.
We almost always go away for the summer since we’re military and never stationed near our families. This summer my youngest is doing a STEM program and my oldest, drumline, so we’re staying put other than a week out for a drumline event and 3 days in Canada for the same. My goal is to be on the paddleboard for at least an hour 5 days a week between clients and kid shuttling.
That’s awesome!! I love to see people creating their own work they love. :) Is your freelancing SUP-related?
Selfishly, I keep SUP(y) for my own enjoyment. I am now, largely a private yoga teach + thai massage practitioner. I still seach some public classes and collaborate on workshops/retreats but much less so than before.