Summer Self-Care: Tips and Tricks for Recharging and Relaxation

Summertime can mean an array of different things for everyone. Whether that’s getting ahead on courses or getting extra hours in at work, it’s always important to prioritize yourself in the process. Particularly after finals season, where it may seem challenging to restore your energy after sessions of rigorous studying.

Let’s review some ways to effectively unwind during summer break. Doing so will result in a replenished version of yourself moving forward from unwanted stressors.

The Importance of Taking Breaks

According to the American Psychological Association, taking time away from stressful environments and tasks (through the help of breaks or vacations) reduces stress and anxiety levels. That said, it’s essential to understand what self-care means to you. We all have different goals and needs we might’ve pushed aside to give our academics our full attention. Now is the time to revisit those goals and give yourself that attention instead.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques are therapeutic activities that provide individuals the chance to practice reframing methods. Practicing breathing and awareness is a commonly effective way to help put your body and mind at ease.

Take exercises such as guided imagery or box breathing for example. Guided imagery is the practice of visualizing the given environment you are in. It distracts you from negative thoughts and strains by shifting your focus into the present moment. You use your senses to answer the five W’s of: what do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel? Making sure to take deep breaths in the process will induce feelings of calmness. Whereas box breathing is an exercise where one envisions four sides of a square while holding and releasing their breath in counts of 4 or 5 seconds. Box breathing assists with relaxation and can be used before or after stressful situations. Consider using the videos below for guided meditation reference:

Guided Imagery Assistance:

Box Breathing Assistance:

Making use of relaxation techniques supports a myriad of mental and physical needs that will release tension from any issues you may be facing. Give it a try and see if you notice a change in your stress management skills. To find more techniques that work for you, the link here explores additional ways to integrate relaxation techniques into your routine when needed. Apart from breathing-related methods, consider some of these relaxation activities to incorporate into your summer routine.

Set Healthy Habits

To act towards your summer goals, the most important step to develop healthy habits is taking the time to curate goals that are self-rewarding and bring tranquility into your life. While setting goals is easier said than done, holding yourself accountable will create the routine you desire.

One way to keep yourself accountable is to make a to-do list. Establishing what you would like to accomplish for the day will give you something productive to look forward to while planning accordingly with your schedule.

If you wish to focus solely on your mental health, free therapeutic apps are the way to go. Being in touch with your feelings will result in emotional awareness and regulation; a necessity for one’s healing and transformative journey, according to Psychology Today. Here are some free apps that can assist with your mental health progress:

• Soluna, a CalHOPE Program – A California-based app aimed toward 13- to 25-year-olds. This mental wellbeing app contains confidential coaching sessions along with reflective questions, interactive technique games, quizzes, and prompts to respond to at no cost.

• DaileyBean – Simplest Journal – An emotion tracker with custom icons and themes of your choosing. You can log your feelings and reflect on how your day(s) went, which will curate valuable insight and data that will assist with your well-being exploration.

• Prompted Journal – Want to get into the habit of journaling but don’t know where to start? Each day, this self-reflection app gives users 1-3 prompts that will positively impact your personal growth. There are follow-up questions that challenge your ways of thinking and even customizable prompts to respond to your liking. You can even reflect on past questions to gain a better understanding of yourself over time.

Establish a Self-Care Routine

It’s common for our routines to shift our attention elsewhere, giving us no time to touch-base with our goals. This can become detrimental to one’s mental health if they aren’t checking in on themselves. Relate back to these steps to identify what changes are required so you can finally establish your well-deserved routine:

• Identifying your needs – Pinpoint which areas need the most attention: mental, physical, emotional, or in some cases professional needs.

• Consider barriers – What is preventing you from achieving your goals? It’s understandable if certain barriers are out of your control such as family duties. Even then, if your current routine leaves you with no time to take care of yourself, it can become dreadful towards your happiness. Remember that you are more than capable of setting boundaries.

• Discovering your definition of self-care – Everyone has their own definition of self-care. Whether that means treating yourself to your favorite foods or hobbies after a long day, spending time with the people you love, or working on your own appearance; figuring out what requires your effort and making the time for it shows your resilience in the face of difficulty. To each their own!

Maintain a Clean Space

Nothing is more frustrating than a messy room. Particularly in the summer, where clutter and heat don’t do wonders for the mood. Disorganization will only increase stress and disrupt concentration as opposed to relaxing.

If you find yourself in this situation, set goals that will allow you to uphold chore duties. For example, decluttering your room weekly. Consistently picking up after yourself before bed will make cleaning less of an inconvenience, according to Sleep Number. This also goes for immediately throwing away trash and cleaning dishes right after usage. Washing sheets, pillowcases, and blankets will also improve skincare results such as fighting acne.

If you want to step it up a notch, implement aromatherapy within your space. Aromatherapy is a treatment method of essential oils that stimulates your mood and calms the mind and body (primarily with better sleep, pain relief, and symptoms of illness). It is also considered a form of complementary therapy for people looking to better their wellness and state of mind. Using essential oils, diffusers, candles, and plug-in air fresheners will result in a great smelling room that enhances relaxation overall.

Activities

If your definition of self-care consists of beneficial distractions, then this advice is for you! Activities that get you up and moving during the day enable you to accomplish more of your goals. Begin brainstorming plans with the ideas below!

Outdoor Activities

Getting some fresh air outdoors while engaging in activities is a great way to take a break from electronic devices. Time spent outdoors for as little as 15-30 minutes has been proven to reduce symptoms of stress. The great part about this option is that location possibilities are open-ended depending on what you want to do. If you would like to keep plans simple, try enjoying a nice summer day by visiting your local park or plan activities in your own front or backyard (if accessible). Here are some activities that can accompany you as you spend time outdoors:

• Reading
• Journaling
• Coloring and/or painting
• Listening to music
• Picnic-style hangout with friends or family

Set Physical Activity Goals

Want to break a sweat and focus on your physical goals? Working out is a great and healthy way to pass up the time this summer! It’s a great source of vitamin D and will boost endorphins, according to Orthopaedic Specialty Group. The following steps will assist with the planning process:

• Establishing a routine that works for you – Think of areas you would like to improve, and which workout types will help you get there. For example: yoga for mindfulness, Pilates for muscle strength, cardio for better stamina, etc. Do you work best alone or with others? Every factor counts to help you understand your long-term goals!

• Finding a location – Will your physical activities take place in your home, outdoors, fitness studios, or a gym? Will certain equipment be provided by you, or will you make use of what’s offered in public spaces?

• Sticking to your plans – Make the time for your physical goals, whether certain sacrifices need to be made to do so (such as waking up early to get your workout in for the day). The more you get into the habit of exercising, it becomes second nature.

Try New Hobbies

If you have more time to spend compared to before, it’s a great opportunity to explore new hobbies. It will decrease boredom and challenge you in ways that are accomplishing and fun. Taking up hobbies can offer you the opportunity to learn new abilities and can be a creative outlet in means of relaxation. It’s an excellent way to mix up your daily routine to help you unwind. Whether you want to take up artistic pursuits, begin that collection, etc., it’s the perfect time to get started!

Remember that self-care isn’t linear and can consist of trial and error. Treat yourself and others with kindness and respect as we all have diverse self-care goals we wish to meet. Most importantly, it is called break for a reason, so treat it as such!

What are your favorite ways to relax during the summer? Let us know on our social media @ASICPP on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok!