The Three R’s of Summer

What makes a successful summer? When you think about success, you oftentimes think about achieving important goals; maybe financial, fitness, or educational goals. The goal of summer is different. The goal of summer is to take a vacation to Relax, Reflect, and Recharge. When you accomplish the Three R’s, chances are, you will return to life better equipped to achieve all your other goals.
The many benefits of vacation time are well documented. Vacations prevent the inevitable burn-out you experience when doing the same thing over and over, day after day, at home and at the office. Vacations reduce stress, rejuvenate, invigorate and restore you mentally, physically and emotionally. According to some research findings the positive effects of a good get-away can last for up to as much as five weeks after the vacation. Research subjects reported that they slept better, had less physical complaints, and were in an overall better mood than before the vacation.
The Three “R’s” of Summer:
1. Relax. According to Merriam Webster, relax means “to make less tense or rigid; to seek rest or recreation.” What are those things you tend to be rigid about in your day-to-day life that you need a break from? For me it’s the everyday schedule of everyone in our home. To relax for me is to truly rest, let go, hang out, not worry and live blissfully unaware of what time it is. I don’t check e-mail or my phone. I “unplug” from all technology. Relaxing enables you to empty your brain from a never-ending “to-do” list. The clouds of everyday stress and responsibilities part and your mental and emotional vision becomes clearer after a time of relaxing.
2. Reflect. This naturally follows a time of relaxing. Being away from your everyday life helps you to see it more clearly. An article in the International Business Times stated, “A good vacation can help us to reconnect with ourselves, operating as a vehicle for self-discovery and helping us get back to feeling our best.” You can be more objective when you aren’t under the everyday pressures and responsibilities of life. This is a time you can evaluate what’s working and what isn’t working for you and plan appropriate changes if needed.
3. Recharge by definition is – “to regain energy or spirit to charge again; to restore anew the active materials in; to inspire or invigorate afresh.” Wow, I don’t think there is a person on this planet that couldn’t use energy, charge, restoration and being invigorated. Batteries don’t last forever. You either replace them or recharge them. Your personal batteries are the same. You must recharge to be at your personal best. A summertime vacation is a great battery charging station. So pull over, plug-in and recharge.
The Three “R’s” of summer will enable you to return to life fresh, and finish the second half of your year strong!