Summer Slow Down: My Weekly To Do List

Each year I greedily anticipate summer. The blue skies, warm sunshine, coffee outside, walks to the pool, neighborhood happy hours, being outside until the crickets start chirping… you get the idea. In the Pacific Northwest, the summer season is our prize for enduring so many months of rain and clouds. It’s our crowning season where the weather is damn near perfect.

My goal this year is to slow down and enjoy it. We work so many hours of our days and weeks, and sometimes it’s so easy to forget to be intentional and stop and enjoy what is around us. My natural state is to go, go, go, so I must be intentional about slowing down and adding recreation to my days. And yes, I mean everyday. Not just weekends. It would be a crime to find simple pleasures and enjoyable moments only 2 days per week!

Here is my weekly strategy/to-do list:

1. Sip coffee in the sun.

Whether it’s by a big window, or sitting outside, sunshine on my face while having my beloved morning coffee feels like a double recharge. It’s easy to pair coffee with multitasking like getting ready for the day or hoping on the computer, but at least once per week, I plan to make my morning coffee a leisure activity.

2. Eat lunch outside.

Last summer we purchased an outdoor dining table for the backyard and enjoyed many meals around it. There is something about a meal outside that forces me to disconnect from my screens (I can’t see them, ha!) and helps me connect with the nature around me. For our first four years in Portland we did not have a backyard, and I will never take that privilege for granted again. During those times I spent many summer days at grassy playgrounds with a quilt to sit on. If you find yourself in a similar situation perhaps there is a nice community park nearby or even a cafe with outdoor seating.

3. Go for a sunset walk.

I love going for walks and I try to go at least once per day. But a sunset walk is different. It’s the kind of walk where you find a good vantage point and admire the sun and skies as the day fades away. Watching an orange and sherbet colored sky never, ever gets old to me. It taps right into the pleasure center in my brain.

4. Read a novel in my backyard.

This is the ultimate recreational activity for me: reading. And doing it outside, in the sun or the twilight makes it even better. Outside, I can’t see the clutter on the counters, the floor that needs to be swept or the laundry that needs to be folded. Sure, I might see weeds, but those are easier to let go of. Last spring, I did a collaboration with RST and ended up with this outdoor furniture set. We spent hours using and enjoying them last summer. I hope this summer I can squeeze in some afternoon reading when my work is finished for the day, or even some extended lounging time on the weekends. If you don’t have a backyard, coffee shops with outdoor seating areas could be a good option.

OUTFIT DETAILS:
Tee – Almost sold out, I sized up.
Skirt – c/o, This is even more beautiful in person. The color and shape are unlike anything else I have. There is elastic in the back to make it comfy. The leg slit detail is perfectly placed!
Basket Bag – This one is a favorite of mine! YouTube review is here.
Libby Sneaker – c/o, Love these with a skirt or dress. Use 15ANDREA to save 15%.
Sunglasses – RayBan