Your Guide To Minneapolis Summertime Self-Care

After months of bundling up and hunkering down, waiting for another winter to pass, we’ve finally traded our snow shovels for sand shovels and parkas for popsicles. Summer is here.

In Minnesota, we wait all year for summer. We persevere through subzero temperatures and blistering winds with our sights set on the 90-day, 90-degree bliss that awaits us. Still, despite clear blue skies and tropical temps, stress and anxiety find their way into our busy lives. It’s easy to expect summer to be all sunshine and rainbows, literally, but bad days still happen and we’re still expected to show up for work on time. For those moments when your lemonade turns more sour than sweet, look to these tips for a little summertime R&R.

Unplug

In today’s technology-driven society, we hear the advice to “unplug” constantly. That’s because it’s necessary in order for us to maintain our focus, productivity, and overall sanity. Studies suggest it takes up to 45 minutes to regain focus after an interruption from our digital devices. Furthermore, the constant checking in keeps people tethered to their work environment, making it harder to keep stress at bay.

If your job doesn’t require you to be available around the clock, don’t put yourself in a position to be easily accessed at all hours of the day. Just by removing the Gmail, LinkedIn, or Slack apps from your homescreen, you can change the way you use your devices throughout the day and likely decrease your stress level.

Go outside

We’re all familiar with the unique torture that is sitting at a desk in an office building while the sun shines bright just feet away from us. It can be agonizing to stay cooped up indoors all day. And, after a long winter of cloudy, gray skies, many Minnesotans enter the summer months deficient in Vitamin D. So, go outside! You don’t have to hike, bike, run, and sweat; you can spend your time reading a book on a park bench, walking your dog, or tending a garden.

Spoil yourself

Summer is the perfect time to show yourself some serious self-love. Take time throughout the season to enjoy sunbathing, splashing in the lake, and letting your natural curls out to play. Gather up your crew and enjoy happy hour on a rooftop or treat yourself to a cucumber face mask to keep cool. Spoil yourself, because in a handful of months, winter will be here all over again.

Self-care comes in countless shapes and forms. Sometimes, it’s spending a weekend at the cabin or a long day at the spa. Other times, it’s making sure to wash your face, brush your teeth, and crash on your bed rather than your couch. Whatever it looks like for you, let self-care be an integral part of your summer. After all, the season is fleeting. Make it count.

//photo by Min An