The warm weather of the summer opens up more coping skills.  Below are a bakers dozen of ideas.

1. Birdwatch – birds are dinosaurs AND they are pretty.

If you live in a city, you can still enjoy birds.  Read up on pigeons, they are surprisingly fascinating.  Fun fact: those pigeons you see wandering in the city are feral.

2. Garden – so many people find gardening to be calming.  Do you live somewhere without a yard? That’s okay, buy some pots and seeds and get to work!

   

3. Go for a swim – if you have access to a pool, beach, or lake this is a great option (and I am jealous).

4.  Have a picnic – bonus points if you eat something healthy.

5.  Just go outside and breathe the fresh air – this is a  good one if you need to de-stress while at work.  Just take a 15 minute breather and you’ll likely see your performance improve in addition to your mood.

          

6. Read a book in the shade of a tree – book, nature, you really can’t beat it.

7.  Ride a bike – enjoy the feel of the wind on your face.

8.  Spend time in nature – time to reflect or to simply be among nature can be very therapeutic.

9.  Take a cat nap in the sun – With our without an actual cat, a cat nap can really help you to recharge.

10.  Take a refreshing shower – take the time to cool off both physically and emotionally.

11.  Take a drive with the windows down, music up – you could listen to my depression playlist, or create you own.

12.  Take a walk – walks are a classic coping skill because it works for a lot of people.  It seems simple, but it’s always worth a try.

13.  Throw a frisbee or ball around – there are a lot more frisbee types than I thought.

 

You can also try any of the 100 listed here

Remember:  Sunglasses, sunscreen, and shade are your friends.  Now go out and enjoy your summer to the best of your ability!