The Truth About Summer "Break"

The end of the school year always holds so much promise. You think that as soon as you can spend your days outside of the classroom, it will be a summer full of long days by the pool, peaceful walks at sunset and hours of getting absorbed in your favorite book. Do your summer break expectations come close to reality? Take a look at this reality check!

Regardless of what your summer really looks like, it’s important to take time to refresh before the new school year begins. Try these fifteen-minute activities to invest in self-care:

• Exercise! You can go to a class at your local gym, take a morning walk or look up online exercise videos to keep your body moving.
• Read a new book. Take a trip to the library and choose a novel for yourself.
• Stretch. Look up a couple of stretches to loosen up and improve your focus.
• Drink a cup of green tea on the porch. Both drinking green tea and spending time in nature are proven ways to reduce stress in your life.
• Declutter one room at a time. Living in a cleaner space reduces stress and helps keep your mind clear.

Self-care means filling yourself up so that you have something to give — try starting with just 15 minutes every day to do something nice for yourself!