With summer fast approaching you might be busy thinking of all the projects you want to achieve in your spare time. These could include learning a new language, cleaning out the garage, or spending more time with your kids.
But those project expectations are just like really lengthy to-do lists: daunting, unrealistic, and a call to fail. And then you just feel disappointed in yourself.
It's important to take the pressure off and remember that just because summer comes along and there's a mood of relaxation in the air, kids still need feeding, emails need answering, and the house is not going to clean itself.
The good news is that we've gathered some good tips on what to consider when creating a project wish-list, and a few ideas as well. Hopefully they'll help you have a fulfilling summer providing you with a real sense of achievement.
1Set Clear and Achievable Goals
- Prioritize: List what you want to accomplish and prioritize the most important or meaningful ones. Consider whether you want to achieve something with the children, or if you have a personal project you'd love to carry out.
- Break it down: Divide larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks. This makes them less overwhelming and easier to complete. If the project is a family one, then delegate roles for each member.
- Be realistic: Consider the time and resources you have available. Set goals that are achievable within your means. Remember that idea of learning a language? Why not start small and try to learn key phrases in a language and say 100 useful words.
2Create a Flexible Schedule
- Daily routine: Establish a routine that includes time for work, rest, and recreation. Remember, if your teens are to be involved in anything get them involved at the best time of the day -- that's probably not going to be the morning!
- Buffer time: Leave room for unexpected events or changes in plans.
- Balance: It's important to remember that this is your holiday. It's not a question of filling every waking hour with tasks or you'll not feel refreshed. Ensure you have a balance between productivity and relaxation.
3Engage in Service Projects
- Local community: A great and doable project is to be of service to others. Therefore find local community service opportunities that align with yours and your family's interests, such as helping at a food bank, volunteering at a local shelter, or helping in your parish.
- Small acts of kindness: Incorporate small acts of kindness into your daily routine, like visiting an elderly neighbor or writing encouraging notes to friends.
4Explore Personal Growth Activities
- Learning: Take up a new skill or hobby that you’ve always wanted to learn, such as cooking, gardening, or a musical instrument. But remember to be realistic about what you want to achieve. If you want to improve your cooking, you could try to master a couple of dishes and not the whole recipe book.
- Reading: Set a goal to read a certain number of books over the summer, including both spiritual and non-spiritual literature. If you're not an avid reader, don't forget there are great audio books out there, too. You could even lie by the pool with your eyes closed and listen to a classic tale. (If you're child minding, though, this is a big no-no as you can't let yourself get distracted.)
5Plan Quality Time with Family and Friends
- Family projects: Work on a family project, such as creating a family photo album or planning a small family retreat. This doesn't have to be a huge project, but something concrete that you can all put your stamp on.
- Social activities: Plan social activities that strengthen your relationships, like picnics, game nights, or outdoor adventures. This could be with family, friends, neighbors, members of your parish, or everybody! But if you manage to do a few during the summer you'll feel more connected to those in your circle.
6Embrace Spiritual and Personal Reflection
- Journaling: Keep a journal to reflect on your daily experiences, goals, and personal growth. This is a great project as you can devote just five to ten minutes a day to it and at the end of the summer you'll have an impressive amount of pages filled out.
- Quiet time: Dedicate time each day for prayer, meditation, or quiet reflection. This helps in maintaining a peaceful and focused mindset. Also don't forget to include a lovely nap from time to time to help you really feel relaxed and ready to go.
7Stay Physically Active
- Exercise routine: Incorporate regular exercise into your schedule, whether it’s walking, biking, swimming, or participating in sports. This is great to do with the kids as they'll need to get off their screens and run off some energy.
- Outdoor activities: Spend time outdoors, appreciating nature and staying active through hiking, gardening, or simply taking walks. Again, if you have children get them to come along. They can pick up little treasures on the way, draw pictures, or take photos and create a summer scrapbook.
8Celebrate Small Wins
- Acknowledge progress: Regularly acknowledge and celebrate the progress you make, no matter how small. Every Friday, for example, you could take stock of what you've achieved. Whether it's being able to say a few phrases in Greek, or being able to run a mile, these wins are definitely something to feel good about.
- Reward yourself: With every win comes a reward. Therefore treat yourself when you complete tasks or reach milestones. This could be a favorite meal, a movie night, or a day trip.
9Stay Connected with Faith Community
- Participate in church events: While summer might take us from our normal routine, it's important to stay engaged in church events or activities, such as summer camps, retreats, or volunteer opportunities.
- Online groups: You light have a little time to explore faith-related projects on the internet. Join online faith-based groups or forums for support, inspiration, and community connection.
10Reflect and Adjust as Needed
- Weekly check-ins: Have regular check-ins with yourself to assess your progress and make necessary adjustments to your plans. Nothing is fixed in stone so if you feel you can achieve more, change your goals. If it's too much, then maybe cross a few projects of the list.
- Be kind to yourself: Understand that it’s okay if you don’t accomplish everything. Focus on what you have achieved and the experiences you’ve gained.
By setting realistic goals, maintaining a balanced schedule, and incorporating meaningful activities, you can create a fulfilling and enriching summer without the pressure of those unrealistic expectations.
Just a little reminder, it's important to give value to your projects, and what you've achieved. Do not feel underwhelmed or inept with what you've done when you see what everyone is posting on social media.
And finally, if none of your projects comes to fruition, try not to be hard on yourself. If it's any consolation, my understairs cupboard has been crying out for a good sort for the last decade. It hasn't happened, and I've a sneaking suspicion it's not going to happen this summer either!
