5 ways to survive summer

Summer is full. Summer is long. Summer is draining.

How can you make it through summer and survive to talk about it in September? Let me offer 5 methods...

5 Ways to Survive Summer:

1. Take vacation! Whether its before summer, after the summer or even in the middle - take a vacation. Don't make it a working vacation. Don't visit a location you want to use for a retreat. Don't check email. Don't blog. Don't work on lessons. Don't make phone calls. Take your family and vacate your area. Spend time alone. Recharge. Read for fun. Listen to music. Watch TV or movies. Go to the beach. Sleep. You deserve/need to take time for yourself. You don't expect your students to be at everything in the summer; so don't expect yourself to be either.

2. Be flexible. Summer months are full of vacations, trips, games, etc... So don't be rigid in your ministry. Allow for flexibility. If you are able, adjust a class to meet outside when its nice. Drop the lesson and go to the park. Let the unexpected happen and don't let it ruin your mood. Plan backup plans. Go with the flow.

3. Less office time. Take time out of the office and spend with the youth. Plan a day at the park. Plan a day at the movies and lunch. Gather up youth for a quick game of volleyball or kickball. Give your students opportunities to play. Don't cancel if only 2 youth show up. Block a few hours in your week to be "outside the office" time and spend it with the youth who don't have a job.

4. Be outside. Spend some time outside at night. Read a good book on your porch. Play catch with your kids. Sit and talk to your family. Sit and watch the stars. Take time to be outside, away from the TV and radio and spend time in God's creation. Go for a walk. Plan some time outside at night and remember what an awesome God we serve.

5. Watch the calendar. When it seems like summer will never end, look at the calendar and remember it will. Don't let the days go without knowing it will soon be over. Summer will end and school will start back up. When you sit down at your desk in October wondering how its almost Thanksgiving, you'll wish it was summer again.

What do you do to survive the summer months?