Enjoy the summer without anxiety: 7 psychological keys

The long-awaited summer vacation is a period in which we can theoretically rest throughout the day, recover our energies and carry out all those activities that we cannot practice during the rest of the year. But in practice, there are those who at this time of year face stressful and anxiety-producing situations that they find difficult to manage emotionally.

This anxiety may be generated by the belief that time is not being used enough, by the need to make decisions about what dedicate those hours of leisure, for the coordination and planning involved in traveling as a family, for the idea that other people are having a better time than us, etc. So that… How to enjoy summer without falling into these dynamics of anxiety? Let's look at some general tips that will help you achieve this.

• Related article: "What is anxiety: how to recognize it and what to do"

Psychological keys to enjoy the summer without anxiety

Once we have entered that set of actions and mental routes that produce anxiety in us, it can be difficult to get out. of that mental state, since one of the characteristics of feeling anxious is that this discomfort reinforces itself through a vicious circle of expectations, fear of not measuring up to the challenges we must face, the feeling that we are vulnerable, etc. Therefore, in the face of possible anxiety triggers during the summer holidays, it is advisable to be prepared and know in advance what to do so as not to fall into that spiral. In this sense, the tips that you will find here can help you.

1. Take time to really rest

The first thing we should do during the summer holidays to avoid states of excessive anxiety is to dedicate a time for ourselves, to rest and carry out activities that are pleasant and relax us, without giving in to the idea that if we completely disconnect from work we are doing something wrong.

Summer vacations are not a whim, but one of the resources we have to maintain our physical health and mental, and must be used accepting all that they imply: we have the right not to work professionally during those days. We must really disconnect from those daily obligations that are part of our work routine and charge energies with which face the next academic or work block, discarding the absurd idea that we must be productive at all times during the summer.

Taking time for ourselves and taking care of our mental health is of great importance and we will allow you to return from vacation with greater optimism and motivation to face the period again labor.

• You may be interested: "Personal Development: 5 reasons for self-reflection"

2. Avoid excessive use of technological devices

It is advisable to reduce the use of mobile phones, tablets or computers during the holidays, since many virtual platforms have great power to keep us hooked to the screen and make us lose track of time, offering us an entertainment that, seen in retrospect, is unsatisfactory and can expose to content that actually feeds our anxiety and stress even in small amounts. It is better to focus in our free time on activities that are really meaningful to us.

• Related article: "10 psychologically healthy daily habits, and how to apply them to your life"

3. avoid comparisons

One of the basic keys to being happy in life is not to compare yourself with anyone and this is precisely one of the tips that we can follow also in the summer holidays to be more happy.

Compare our vacations with those of other people, whether they are friends or family, or even influencers and celebrities who live by giving an idyllic image of their lives, it can end up generating negative emotions in us if, when comparing them, we understand that their vacation experiences are better than ours.

Instead, we should live our holidays to the fullest without comparing ourselves to anyone and focus on what we want, and try to carry out special activities that we do not do during the rest of the year; it is not necessary to make great trips around the world.

• You may be interested: "Festinger's Social Comparison Theory"

4. Practice healthy lifestyle habits

Although we find ourselves enjoying the summer holidays, it is important not to banish from our day to day a series of strategies and healthy lifestyle habits that allow us to achieve good physical and mental health.

These habits range from sleeping a sufficient number of hours a day to rest to maintaining a balanced and healthy weekly diet and healthy hygiene habits to live in society.

In addition to that, it is important not to forget to practice sports two or three times a week to maintain our physical health and from time to time we can also carry out special outdoor sports activities, both individually and accompanied.

Some of these activities can be hiking, cycling, climbing, swimming or participating in all kinds of sports competitions.

5. Work (in a very limited way)

During the holiday period, some people may feel relatively anxious thinking about work projects or pending jobs that may be getting out of hand while on vacation; That is why one option to take into account if you are self-employed is to work, but limiting those moments of attention to your professional role: for example, a maximum of one hour every two or three days of vacation to read emails, answer questions from other members of the team, and other simple tasks and "maintenance" of a minimum activity and prevention of problems.

This practice will not allow us to overcome the anxiety caused by overwork, but at least it will ensure that if we already have a problem with feeling very anxious, it will not increase and get out of control.

• Related article: "Workation: what is it and what are its benefits?"

6. Take time to socialize

In addition to dedicating a period of time for ourselves where we can rest and carry out activities that are pleasant, it is also advisable to keep our social life active, seeing close friends and family from time to time darlings.

Human beings are social animals, which means that we need the company of other people to fulfill ourselves and achieve the well-being and happiness that we long for in our daily lives.

That is why we must avoid spending long days alone, resting in the comfort of the sofa at home, since it It is convenient to leave home and interact with loved ones who fill us with energy and with whom we can laugh and be happy.

7. go to therapy

As at any time of the year, whenever we have cases of anxiety in our day to day, it is highly recommended see a psychologist to solve that problem and many other psychological alterations that we may have.

A specialized psychologist will provide us with highly useful strategies and tools to control the states of anxiety that we may suffer at some point and also to learn to manage all our emotions in general.

Do you want professional psychological support?

If you are looking for psychotherapeutic assistance services, we invite you to contact us.

In psychotools We serve people of all ages and we put at your disposal the strategies and techniques of more effective intervention to help you get through bad times and enable you to learn to better manage your emotions. You will find us in our psychology center in Barcelona.