Summer time is a great time to give yourself some much needed rest but also to prepare you for accomplishing your goals. After a long winter and slow cold spring, it’s time to relax and recharge your batteries but it is also a time to take a couple goal areas and give them some special focus.
Hi and welcome back to Barr World. Summer time is here finally here. With most people it’s a great time of BBQ’s, picnics, vacations, time at the beach, sports, family gatherings and just plan laying around and enjoying the lazy hazy days of summer. Downtime is very important because you don’t want to burn out, but summer time is also a great time to make specific headway on some of your goals.
Today we are going to focus on 3 important areas of life: your family relationships, your health, and your psychological well-being and how summer is a great time to make headway on these specific areas.
Family Relationships
1. Set as time for your family fun. Using a calendar, set aside specific time to spend together on evenings and weekends. Be specific in your plan just like you’re goals. If you don’t plan it, it will never happen For example:
• Monday evenings are for watching your 4-year-old’s T-ball game. Wednesday evenings are for going to the outdoor concert in your town or get together with some friends for a BBQ.
• Friday nights are for kid-selected movies and a dinner you cook together. Every Saturday afternoon the family goes out for lunch.
2. Discuss a vacation with your kids and spouse. Whether it’s a week at a cottage or a weekend getaway, work on this as a family, brainstorm a list of possible vacation sites. It will always depend on time and finances but the adults can decide on some final choices and then everyone in the family can vote. Also don’t rule out a staycation. I bet theirs a lot of neat things to do close to where you live that you have never taken the time to see but other people travel hundreds of miles to your area to enjoy.
• Once you select a destination, start making arrangements immediately.
• Get everyone in the family involved in the vacation planning process. Print out pictures and stick them to the fridge, talk about it at supper time, get a “countdown clock” to make the days till vacation. Develop some excitement about going.
3. Work on a project together. Do a home improvement project together. It may be cleaning up the flower beds or laying tile in the hallway. Maybe it’s painting a room or redoing a basement. Find a job that each family member can safely do. You’ll build stronger relationships with your kids while teaching them the relevance of hard work and cooperation. And more importantly share the credit for a job well done.
Health
1. Work on your physical self. Summer is a great time to get active with so many sports and outdoor activities to take part in. Take some time and consider what you’d like to change about yourself physically. Write down your plan, pull out your calendar and writes some action dates and refer to it to inspire you.
• With this type of goal make sure you spend a lot of time on the WHY because when your muscles are aching you will need a strong WHY.
• Start slow, if you have been a couch potato for ten years don’t think you can run a 5K in 2 weeks. Be realistic.
• Get a physical and ask your doctor about your plan
• Get help, hire a personal trainer to guide you through getting started so you do things right and don’t end up hurting yourself.
2. Build up your strength and endurance. Maybe you have a few areas you want to tone or reshape. It could be a time to try something different like taking dance lessons, going for a jog four times a week, or joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer.
• When you focus on a specific body part for one or two months, you’ll be amazed at the progress you’ll make.
• The summer is a great time to join a gym because the number of people at the gym will be low compared to January. You will have to deal with the “regulars” but you also won’t have to wait for 20 minutes to get on a bicycle just remember WHY you are there.
3. Work on your intake. Look for simple ways you’ll increase your positive nutritional intake this summer while reducing sugary foods. Try to cut down on those sweets or replace them with healthier choices like fruit.
• Focus on getting important vitamins and minerals to increase wellness.
• You could start taking a multiple vitamin daily.
• Or you could have two vegetable snacks a day, plus two at lunch, and two at dinner.
• Take smaller portions especially at those family gatherings with that strawberry pie calling your name.
4. Is there something on your goal list you’ve always wanted to do? Maybe you’ve wanted to try rock climbing, but you’ve had trouble finding time. Check out what is available in your area. If not found locally try looking a little farther afield. See if you can work it out.
Getting in shape and building your physical health will also increase your emotional stamina in the process.
Psychological Well-Being
1. Read one self-help book each month. Pick you 3-4 books and start reading a bit every day. If finding reading time is a challenge, try reading later in the evening or get up 30 minutes early work on yourself.
“Work harder on yourself than you do your job. If you work hard on your job you can make a living. If you work hard on yourself you can make a fortune.” –Jim Rohn
2. Work on developing that one character trait you desire. Maybe you want to be more patient or show that you’re responsible at work or maybe more organized at work. Pick a month this summer and work on that skill. You’ll be pleased with yourself.
Summer is a great time to develop a specific plan for the goals you want to achieve. It will impact your family relationships in a positive way by including your family in the planning. In terms of your health, focus on making some positive personal changes start small and work yourself up to where you want to be.
Increasing your well-being is a healthy and wise thing to do, regardless of the season. When you set up a summertime plan in advance, you’ll see how productive those summer months can be. If you don’t, you’ll wake up on Labour Day weekend and wonder were the summer went.
Start NOW because today is the only day you have.
Chat soon
Percy