Summer Self Care Challenge: Break the Monotony with These 5 Exciting Calendar Days
Sometimes it can feel like a month can pass by without you diverting much from your usual routine. I find this especially true in the busier seasons of life. Despite this, it is essential to practice practical self-care. You deserve it!
As a self-proclaimed Type A person, I live and breathe by my calendar. So, I know that the way I can assure that something is going to happen is by making sure it is on my calendar. Whether that is your style of organization or not, a little bit of self-care is a need for anybody.
So, to add some variety to your perhaps ordinary days, here are some days to add to your calendar this month. I love all of these ideas because a lot of them are inexpensive, but give you something fun to look forward to. When you are bored at another shift at work or doing another chore, you can now have something fun on the horizon, which always helps me push through. Think of this as a fun summer self care challenge. Here are 5 ideas!
A breakfast date
Whether you host this at your house, or if you meet up at a local breakfast joint, you need to integrate this into your month. It is such an underrated meal to grab with a friend or loved one in my opinion. Whether your preferences are savory or sweet, starting your day off with somebody you love is sure to brighten the rest of your day, even if it is just you both sitting at your kitchen table.
I used to go out to breakfast with my friends in high school but I realized I stopped doing it as much now that I am in college. I am definitely going to do this more during the school year as well and host people at my apartment, along with trying different places to eat in LA.
Day to yourself
There is a myriad of scenarios where a day completely by yourself is not possible. Particularly if you have young kids, are married, or work in person every day. However, this is something that is so important to prioritize. This is a time when you can reassess your goals, check in with yourself, and see how you are actually feeling. When you are surrounded by other people all of the time it can be easy to stuff those feelings down. Being by yourself helps recenter you and your priorities.
Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, time by yourself is restorative and so important. I recommend this including at LEAST one dance party, whether that is in your home or your car.
Treat day
If you have seen the hit TV show Parks and Recreation, you may be familiar with “treat yourself day” with essentially is a day where two characters let themselves buy whatever they want, objects or experiences, one day out of the year. While I think that is an awesome idea, it is not the most feasible financially for most people. However, a treat day includes you doing a few of your favorite things. I would set a budget beforehand. I would recommend between $15-30.
You are going to get your favorite drink/and or food and do an activity that you love. Even if that is you getting Chick-Fil-A and going to Target and getting a face mask. As simple as it is, spending just a few bucks on things that are special to you is going to reaffirm that you deserve to be treated well! You work hard and as much as I wish every day were a treat day, having it once a month makes it that much more special to look forward to. This would also be so fun to do with a partner or friend, and you can treat yourselves together.
No social media
It is not realistic that you could go one day without contacting somebody, so I am not going to encourage you to turn your phone off for the day. I am simply suggesting that you delete social media apps off of your phone for a day (I know it is sad to see those TikTok drafts go away, but I promise if you really liked them you would’ve just posted them already).
This way you can still be reachable while giving your mental health a break. It is going to feel weird but I promise it’ll feel better later. I would do this on a day when you already have plans and will be busy, that way you are not fighting the urge to doom scroll while you are laying in bed without any plans.
Full day outside
It can be easy to go through a day without going outside at all, especially if you work from home. However, going outside is so important for our mental health. There are several studies that show links between well-being and nature, which reveal what we already know, being outside makes us feel good. Whether you live in an urban, rural, or suburban environment, plan a day with friends and spend a day in nature. My ideal day outside is at the beach, but if you are in a landlocked state, do not fret! Look up look-out spots in your city/town and I am sure you can find a little pocket of outdoor heaven.
With your time outside, you can also do it solo with a book and a favorite beverage of choice (this is my set-up). You also could play games with friends or have a picnic with a loved one. The options are endless!
I hope these four ideas helped you think about how you can integrate more joy into your month by switching things up a bit. If you are wanting more ideas of days to add to your calendar, I encourage you to write down a list of your favorite activities, and then try to sprinkle those in throughout your month. Planning these things ahead of time can save you the emotional labor of planning them later when you are in need of rest. You do not want to wait until you are burnt out to rest. You want to start when you feel energized, so you can stay that way!
What do you have on your summer self care challenge bucketlist? Share with us in the comments below!
I absolutely love this blog post! The Summer Self Care Challenge sounds amazing! Breaking the monotony with those 5 exciting calendar days is exactly what I need. Can’t wait to try them out and make this summer unforgettable!
Have A Great Day Ahead – Melissa
Over 50 Delicious Keto Recipes – http://www.ketodietrecipes.co.uk