Summer Break-ing

No matter who you are or what city, state, or country you live in, you are allotted a maximum of 168 hours a week that comes in 24-hour segments called days which add up to 7 days in a week. Yet, if you're like me, our to-do lists are never-ending, and rest always appears just out of reach. 

Maybe you feel this way too? Whether it’s your work, family, volunteering, finances, or even social media that make you feel like you always have to be “on,” you may be struggling to find rest. I’m not talking about a little break, I’m talking about true rest. 

I want to encourage you to take some real time off this summer … if you don’t take a break this summer, this summer will be breaking you!

Here are two simple tips to make sure you have a restful and rejuvenating summer.

How to Rejuvenate

 1. Schedule Rest and Recreation

Put your time off/breaks on the yearly calendar. If we don’t schedule it, it is hard to make it happen. Also, studies show that when we schedule a vacation weeks or even months out, endorphins and serotonin are released in our brain (the natural happy drugs) as we look forward to our time off. 

That's the big picture, but what about the weekly grind?  On a weekly basis, it may be just a day or two a week where the phone is turned off and the email is not checked, and rest and recuperation are the main focus of that day. To get the rest we need, we need to have boundaries and not let people encroach or break down those boundaries. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking that we can or need to do and be everything for everybody. 

If you’re not sure what to do to get rejuvenated, I’d ask you this question, “What do you like to do?”  Go out and do it! The word recreation is the word re-create… what re-creates you, brings you joy, rejuvenates you … that means it’s the opposite of what drains you. Sounds simple but most people don’t take time to re-create.

2. Be around people you love

Take that trip and go visit your family or friends you haven’t seen in a while. That trip may be all you need to rejuvenate your life. Make sure it’s people who energize you, not drain you. It will be an encouraging time that you think back on throughout the rest of the year. 

3. Adventure to somewhere you’ve never been

One of the things that can really inspire and encourage you is by visiting a place you’ve never been. If you don’t like to travel, then it doesn’t have to be far away. There are probably places within a short drive that you’ve never been to that will amaze you. If you like to travel, then you already know this principle is true. Personally, discovering new places and new things brings me joy and excitement. I love learning about the different places where I may travel. The history, how the town was founded, what the main industry was or is and discovering if there are any trails where I can ride my dirt bike! 

Whatever causes you to feel rejuvenated this summer, I want to encourage you to get out there and do it! Because God created Re-creation and He created this beautiful planet to be explored and enjoyed!