Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

Summer has officially arrived here in New England. The temperatures are climbing into the 80s, the days are longer, and suddenly there are endless opportunities to be outside. Barbecues, hikes, pool days, pickleball games, outdoor concerts, lunches with friends - it's the season that makes you want to shut your laptop and head outdoors.

And if you're a business owner or someone who takes your health seriously, summer can sometimes come with an uncomfortable feeling. It can feel like every hour spent enjoying yourself is an hour you're not spending on your business, your health goals, or the responsibilities that fill your calendar the rest of the year.

The good news is that this doesn't have to be true.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the years is that balance doesn't happen by accident. It happens because you create it intentionally. And yes, I'm going to use that ‘P’ word again, the word you've heard me talk about all year long: planning.

When most people think about planning, they imagine creating more structure and more restrictions. They picture a calendar so full that there's no room for spontaneity or fun. But I've found the exact opposite to be true. The more intentional I am with my planning, the more freedom I actually have.

For example, I know that exercise is important to me. I prefer to work out first thing in the morning because it gets done before the day has a chance to get away from me. I don't have to think about it later, and I know I've already taken care of one of the most important things for my health.

You may be different. Maybe you're more productive in the morning and prefer to get your work done first. Maybe a morning walk clears your head before you sit down at your desk. The point isn't to copy my schedule. The point is to create a schedule that works for you.

The same principle applies to summer fun.

If you know you want to spend an afternoon by the pool, take a hike, attend a concert, or meet friends for lunch, put it on the calendar. Treat it like it matters, because it does. Too often we schedule work appointments, client meetings, and obligations, but we expect fun to somehow happen on its own. Then we wonder why summer disappears before we've enjoyed any of it.

One of the things I've become much more intentional about recently is scheduling activities that bring me joy. I've started playing mahjong on Monday evenings. I've joined a women-and-wine hiking group, which sounds exactly like something I would love. I play pickleball on weekends and whenever else I can get a group together. I schedule lunches, walks, and time with friends.

Those things don't happen because I magically find time for them. They happen because I make time for them.

What surprises many people is that scheduling fun doesn't make life feel more rigid. It actually creates more flexibility. Once I know the important things are on my calendar, family commitments, health appointments, client work, travel, and the activities that bring me joy, everything else can fit around them.

That's where balance lives.

Balance isn't about squeezing fun into the leftover scraps of time after everything else is done. Balance is recognizing that fun, connection, movement, and joy are just as important to your overall wellness as checking items off your to-do list.

As we move deeper into summer, I want to challenge you to look at your calendar differently. Instead of asking how you'll fit fun into your schedule, ask yourself whether your schedule reflects the life you're trying to build.

Are you making room for the things that energize you?

Are you scheduling experiences that make you smile?

Are you giving yourself permission to enjoy the season?

Because ultimately, balance isn't just a scheduling system. It's also a mindset. It's believing that your enjoyment matters. It's recognizing that taking time to recharge doesn't take away from your productivity, it supports it.

So go ahead and plan the hike. Schedule the pool day. Book the lunch with friends. Sign up for the class. Take the weekend trip.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.

As always, what I hope for you is that you live a life you love without giving up the things that bring you joy.