Make Summer Great

Let’s face it – we’re creatures of habit. From the time the alarm goes off in the morning until the end of the workday, much of our time is already planned out in a daily grind, with few opportunities for spontaneity. No wonder kids look forward to summer – it frees them from the tired routines of school and homework. So while you might not be able to take three months off from your job, you can still break up your routine with some excitement.

Of course, routines are stubborn creatures, demanding and unbending. You’ll have to satisfy them before you can get on with the fun stuff. That’s why trying to have fun during the summer seems so stressful – while there’s no shortage of fun things to do, there’s a definite shortage of space to prepare for them.

The first step toward having more summer fun: involve others in your planning. Get together with your family or friends and see how they can shoulder some of the planning load. They may come up with ideas for great barbecue dishes to bring to a potluck, or they might provide the muscle to clear out the yard for the new inflatable pool. Either way, having their support will make sure that you, the party planner, also get to have fun.

Next, give your plans enough time to work. While the idea of driving to the nearest amusement park on the spur of the moment might be appealing, you’ll inevitably wish you’d remembered something once you get there. So for your next event, plan it out at least a week ahead of time, so you’re not wasting precious vacation hours running to different stores.

Finally, be selective on your summer fun. Fun events, after all, have to fit in the schedule like everything else. Taking it to an extreme will just burn everyone out. Leave some unscheduled time for relaxation, and the contrast will make the fun that much better.

What do you do to make summer great?