Relax and be okay with not being productive. This summer, I’ve been intentional about waking up at the same time and beginning my morning with a walk. I grab my coffee and a water bottle and hit the pavement. Thousands of health studies show the importance of walking every day. Check out these seven benefits of taking a morning stroll. After my walk, I take some time to journal. Getting things out of my head helps me focus and capture any ideas that come to me during my walk. After lunch, I enjoy reading a book on the pool deck or under a shade tree. A short nap is usually on the list too!

As I mentioned, I record my ideas in a journal after my daily walk. This allows my mind to explore the possibilities of the upcoming school year without being consumed by them. I attempt to do some work to keep my brain fresh and my ideas rolling. Sometimes this work involves a side project or a hobby, while other times I do some research and planning for the next year. Allyson Robinson, in her blog post "Why Teachers Need Summer Break," discusses how summer allows us time to reflect on why we teach and to dream about what we’d like to accomplish or try in the upcoming school year. The key for me is not to beat myself up if I get nothing accomplished during my summer work time.

Travel is therapeutic for my soul. Learning about and traveling to new places is exciting for me. This year, I took a solo trip to San Francisco and spent three days exploring the city. I also checked an item off my bucket list: riding a train across the country. My wife and I usually take a trip for just the two of us, followed by a family trip if our adult children can get time off work. Travel is something I’ve taught my family to prioritize. Mark Twain says it best, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”