Procrastinator’s Resolutions for Summertime
by Jennifer Swanson

Are your New Year’s resolutions becoming distant memories? If so (or if you put off making resolutions in the first place), here’s some good news: July 1 is the midpoint of the year, so half of the year remains to get started.

Whoever chose January to start the New Year could not have lived in Minnesota. Maybe a health club owner conceived the idea, knowing we’d pay up in January only to give up by March.

January falls in an unsympathetic time of year. The days are short, dark, and cold. Who wants to crawl out of a warm bed, bundle up, and trudge out into the snow in below-freezing temperatures for that promised morning workout? Where’s the motivation to eat healthier when even “fresh” fruits and vegetables have lost a great deal of their nutritional value--and taste--by the time they reach the dinner table? Who wants to organize a freezing-cold garage or basement?

I propose a solution: Mid-Year’s resolutions. It takes 3 weeks to establish a habit, and new habits are much easier to create and maintain under pleasant conditions. What better time than summer to revisit your resolutions or to create entirely new goals?

Here are some common resolutions and summer motivations:

Eat healthier. Summer makes nutrition attractive with just-picked vegetables at farmer’s markets and roadside stands. Pick-your-own produce farms also offer great family fun and can be educational as well. You might consider gathering enough produce to can and/or freeze to enjoy this winter--nothing beats the tasty reminder of summer. Then resolve to grow a few of your own vegetables next year.

Exercise. With all this fresh air and daylight, who needs a treadmill? Prepare to participate in an organized “race” this fall. Whether you choose to walk or run, you can find a variety of “couch-to-5K” plans on the web. My favorites take only 8 to 10 weeks, combining walking and running until you can run for 30 minutes without stopping. If you start now, you’ll be ready just in time for your race.

Spend more time with family. With the kids on summer break, schedules tend to be more relaxed. Resolutions that involve other family members can benefit everyone. Eat meals together more often. Exercise together (some running or walking, others biking or rollerblading). Read together. Most libraries offer summer reading programs with fun incentives for getting into the habit of reading. With programs for both adults and kids, the whole family can participate.

Take the opportunity to hold weekly family meetings. Pick one hour of the week (Sunday nights work well for many families) to coordinate and prioritize schedules, errands, and to-do lists. Allow only rare exceptions for rescheduling. After establishing this habit in the summer, you’ll be more likely to stick with it when school resumes in the fall.

Get organized. Of course, all of the above resolutions require organization for success. Summer’s heat is also a perfect excuse to spend some time organizing that cool basement or lower level catch-all room. When autumn approaches with milder weather, you’ll be ready to tackle the garage. Now that you have some resolution ideas, write them down. Less than 5% of us write down our goals, but success comes to 95% of those who do. While you’re thinking about it, grab a pen now. The more specific and measurable your goals, the better the potential of reaching them. Make sure your goals are realistic and aligned with your values; the results have to be important to you and appropriate to your current stage in life. Post your goals in a prominent location, monitor your progress, and be flexible when necessary. Let summer give you that extra boost you need to achieve your resolutions this year...in half the time.

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