Summer is almost upon us.
In New England, we get three months of warmth, so you want to capitalize on every moment at the beach or in the woods, just soaking up the sun and having fun.
But how? Many people struggle to stop, to take their vacation days, or even to make the most of them.
As you prepare for summer, here are a few thoughts to help you make the most of it:
Take all your vacation days. This might sound like a funny first point, but decide to take all your vacation days. If your company or church gives you three weeks, take all 3. Don’t leave any left over at the end of the year. You work hard, and your family runs fast throughout the year from activity to activity. One of the biggest wastes is vacation time left over. The average American leaves 6.5 vacation days unused each year. These are free days off; take them. This can be more challenging if you are self-employed, leading to our next point.
Plan Ahead. Do some research wherever you go, even if you staycation. The internet makes planning a cheap vacation and finding inexpensive, fun things to do incredibly easy. Look for places and things around you that you have never been to and go there. I have friends who swap houses with a friend in another state or city. Vacations can be all out and expensive but also filled with inexpensive day trips.
The point isn’t what you do or how much you spend, but spending time together, resting, and enjoying. Which leads to…
Make memories. This goes with planning. Find fun places to eat out or places to get unique desserts. Stay up late and do silly things you wouldn’t normally do. Do whatever you can to make memories. Our kids still talk about things we did 5-10 years ago on vacation. And the things they talk about are almost always free or cheap things we did.
Now that you have a plan and a goal, how do you rest and enjoy your summer?
Decide ahead of time what unproductive will mean and entail. This might sound counterintuitive, but the first step to being unproductive is to be productive. Set yourself up to succeed.
If you are married, sit down with your spouse and ask, “If I was unproductive for a weekend, a week, two weeks, a month, what would that mean? What would we do?” Most of us struggle to disengage from the pace of life we live throughout the year, but our minds, bodies, and souls need it.
For me, being unproductive means not blogging or writing, not reading leadership or theology books (I read spy novels or historical books on vacation), sleeping in (or letting Katie sleep in), taking naps, extended game time with my kids, ample time with friends, and being outside.
Answer this simple question: What would refresh me and recharge me? Are there certain people who will do that? Spend time with them.
Too many people work on vacation and prepare for upcoming things (you must plan that for a different time). Your weekend or vacation is for refreshment, recharging, and reconnecting with your family, friends, yourself, and God.
Set yourself up for success. If you don’t decide ahead of time, you’ll come back from vacation exhausted and tell people around you, “I need a vacation from my vacation!”
You know what it will take for you to rest for your family to have fun, so think through those things. Don’t wake up and throw something at the wall unless that is your personality.
The bottom line is that it is easier to achieve if you know and have decided how to be unproductive. It increases the likelihood of resting and recharging.
One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to take social media and email off your phone.
Give yourself grace. No matter how well you plan or think things through, something will happen and throw your vacation off. A bill will pop up; someone might get sick, and you and your spouse will fight. The perfect plan will get rained out, or none of your kids will appreciate a moment and ruin the sunset over the ocean. You will be tempted to get some work done.
Take a deep breath.
Give yourself some grace. Thank God for the chance to rest, refresh, and enjoy His good gift of summer.
