Summer is supposed to be the time to re-charge our batteries before next semester begins, but for many, it is quite the opposite. Some of us suck ourselves into believing that working endless hours each week at a summer job or keeping busy with summer classes is the way to go. It is easy to forget that we only have a few months before there really will not be much time to relax and enjoy ourselves.

If you notice yourself feeling overwhelmed, here are a few ways to manage your stress:

1. Yoga and meditation

Meditation is something that I hear about everywhere; and for the longest time, I did not want to believe that it would actually help. After finally trying it a few times, however, I learned that all it takes to push past the frustration is patience, practice, and a positive attitude. As a skeptic, all I wanted to do for the first 20 minutes of my first yoga class was get up and leave because I thought it was boring, pointless, and not worth my time. Yet after a while, I tried opening my mind more and really embracing the practice and that was when I started to notice a difference. There are lots of variations: yoga classes, hot yoga classes, or if you aren’t feeling the prices there are numerous meditation apps out there such as Stop, Breathe, and Think. I have noticed that on days that I meditate, I feel significantly more relaxed and ready to tackle the day because I see the positive side of things. Meditation also does not have to mean sitting cross-legged, encircled with candles. Most of the time, it means pausing for a few moments at a stoplight to take a few breaths and clear out any negative thoughts or stretching for a few minutes in the morning.

2. Spend more time outside

Sip your morning coffee out on the porch, get up 15 minutes earlier to walk the dog, or explore your town for a quiet place to read, listen to music, or have a picnic. You might even start small and buy a plant to decorate your room. Research has shown that memory and cognitive ability improve significantly after pausing to walk outside for a few minutes (https://dirt.asla.org/2011/09/08/research-shows-nature-helps-with-stress/). Plus, think about how much less enjoyable it will be when the seasons change and icicles takeover and line the tree branches; enjoy the sun while it lasts. Set aside time to breathe in the fresh air, embrace the greenness around you and breathe out life’s worries.

3. Pamper yourself

Take a hot bath, paint your nails, try a new lotion...whatever it takes to make yourself feel clean, beautiful, and wonderful.

4. Exercise

This is a great de-stressor, yet it is overlooked by many who think that working out means putting in two hours at the gym every day. This is not true. Every 10 minutes spent running a mile, bike riding, or doing a high intensity workout in the basement nourishes the mind and strengthens the body more than we think.

5. Go to bed early

Pick one or two nights a week to go to bed an hour or two earlier than usual. A good night of sleep leads to a great, positive start to the next day.

When rushing 24/7, a lot of life's great moments can be missed, and the body is often left overwhelmed. Even in the summertime life can get hectic, and since you probably can't eliminate much off your list, the best thing to do is to listen to your body and make time to de-stress.