By Andorra Turner

Do you have a busy summer schedule? Often, it can be difficult to fill your schedule with all the

summer activities you’d like to do, while still allowing for time for relaxation and self-care.

Summer is often a time for a change, with many people moving, changing careers, or making

changes in other areas of life. That can often fill our free time and lead to anxiety and burnout.

Change is often good, but often difficult – it takes time to get used to a new “normal”.

Many also feel pressure to fill every weekend with activities. Now that the pandemic is not

affecting our lives as much as it did last year or the year before, there may be even more pressure

on us to go places or to do things that were unavailable the past two years. That pressure can also

come from ourselves – not having plans for the weekend can sometimes feel like we’ve wasted

our time, that time not spent on activities is time wasted.

So, what are some ways we can do the things we want this summer, while also taking care of

ourselves?

 Recognize when you’re feeling burnt out

o Do you find yourself more tired or more irritable? Do you feel like isolating

yourself from the people around you? Do you feel detached or unmotivated? You

might be showing signs of burnout. This is a sign that you need to take care of

yourself.

 Be mindful of your needs

o What’s the best way to take care of yourself? The answer to that question will

look different for each person. We all have different techniques to relax, to

comfort ourselves when we are sad, or to help ourselves feel happy. Find the

techniques that work best for you!

 Set Boundaries – communicate your needs

o Knowing your limits is important, but after that comes advocating for yourself!

It’s OK to prioritize your own needs. If someone asks you to do something that

feels draining, or something you don’t want to do, advocate for yourself by saying

“no” or communicating how you feel. Boundaries are healthy and one of the best

ways we can respect our own needs at home, at work, or with friends.

 Take breaks

o We all need breaks. Take some time for yourself. Find an activity that you can do,

just for yourself. You deserve it!

OTHER COUNSELING SERVICES OFFERED AT WELL MINDED COUNSELING CENTER

Our Denver area counseling center sees clients of all ages and addresses a wide variety of

mental health concerns. WellMinded offers the following counseling services: