Late August is one of those great transition times in which we feel excited for the coming months, but sorry to see the summer end. Here are five easy things you can do before the warm days fade away and the leaves start to fall from the trees.
1 – Read a book. Hit your local library, bookstore or login to Amazon to grab a book that you’ve been thinking about reading. Find a comfortable place to sit and get lost in the pages or pixels. Explore something that you’ve always wanted to learn about. Do more research on your favorite hobby or passion. Read up on some U.S. History. Or, find a new book by your favorite author. If you don’t have a selection, look online. There are some great lists available and there is something for everyone. Do it, you won’t regret it. Reading can be calming and rewarding. There are even studies that say reading enhances your imagination and empathy.
2 – Take a 24-hour break from social media. This is not easy and might bring on some nervous energy or feelings of withdrawal from the attention economy. Odds are, you won’t miss a single thing. Possibly some pictures from the beach, or some back to school pics, or a new outfit or a new home for sale in a nearby neighborhood. All of these things can wait. The digital world has a way of distracting us from the real world. You’ll feel empowered after this move. You may feel more grounded Like – I didn’t think I could do this and I just did it. By the way, we are going to practice what we preach – and we intend to do the same and take a break from social media.
3 – Write a letter. Going old school with this idea. Take out piece of paper and a pen. No texting. No email. No DM. Take the time to write a full letter. Look up the proper format for a letter if you don’t already know it. This is a worthwhile skill and something that we should all know. Select a person to write to – and start to put your thoughts down on paper. Maybe reach out to an old friend? Maybe a relative that lives in another state? Perhaps a member of Congress? Pick a person and sit down to convey your thoughts. You might surprise yourself and you will most definitely be checking that mailbox to see if you receive a response.
4 – Clean out your closet. This can be fun, productive and very satisfying. Take the time to see what you need and what you can part with. Make a few piles on your floor so that you can visually see what might have been stuck in the back of the closet or on that top shelf. Find some things to give away – either to a loved one or to a local drop off point. For example – Goodwill or some other organization that will gladly take second-hand goods. Make room for any new items and clean out junk, trash or excess items. You’ll feel both satisfied and organized, and you won’t miss those items that you gave away.
5 – Make a list. Set some real goals. Figure out what you want to accomplish over the next week, month or year. Bonus points if you set a ballpark date next to each goal. Run a mile? Learn guitar? Listen to a podcast series? Learn to knit? Save $100. Depending on where you are in life – you might make separate goals for work and for personal. Or, perhaps, a list for the classroom and personal. Either way – there are loads of great studies suggesting that when things are measured, they tend to improve. So get that list drafted and then hold yourself accountable to tackle the entire thing. You’ll be amazed at how satisfying this can be.
Let us know what you think. What do you plan to tackle before end of the summer? We want to hear – so reach us at hello@oneslade.com.