This year, the first day of summer is June 20th, which also happens to be a Saturday. So hopefully you’ll be off work and able to enjoy your first day of summer! However, you might find yourself being a little hesitant to engage in all your usual summer activities due to the (still) ongoing global pandemic and the social distancing recommendations currently in place.

 

Things like crowded gyms, beaches, and restaurants aren’t the best place to be right now. So how can you stay mentally and physically healthy this summer? How can you reduce stress, create joy, and take care of your body? You just have to get a little creative:

 

  1. Try outdoor forms of exercise: biking, swimming, running, walking, the possibilities are endless. You might find that these activities actually lend even more enjoyment than your usual gym workouts, and enable you to keep a healthy distance from others in the process.
  2. Get creative and cook more meals at home: Instead of going out to eat at potentially crowded restaurants (where you have no control over their sanitation practices) try having a cookout! You can still invite a few friends or family over, and there’s less pressure to be too close to others. Plus, you get to enjoy the sunshine and can pair it with a swim at the local pool.
  3. If you’re going to the beach, go at different times: try going earlier than usual, or later than usual to avoid peak times where it may get crowded. Bonus tip: try walking farther away from the parking lot/entrance before finding a place to sit. The farther away you are from where most people will enter, the lesser the chance someone may invade your personal space!
  4. Try virtual ways to connect: We know community and connection is a big part of enjoying your summer. Right now, those things are a little more complicated. Try implementing virtual happy hours, or even virtual dinners with your friends and loved ones who can’t be with you physically.
  5. Try virtual wellness: There are hundreds of classes online to help you work out and stay fit from home (in case outdoor workouts aren’t your thing), as well as care for your mental health and decrease stress. Our corporate wellness clients are currently enjoying our virtual classes (Zumba, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Mindfulness) to care for all aspects of their wellness.

 

However you decide to celebrate summer, we hope yours is a blast!