The warm weather months offer a unique opportunity to get some special things done, whether it's spending some time outside, firing up the grill, taking the kids out to play, or taking a trip to the beach. Sure, it'd be easy to just sit in the air conditioning and play video games when you're not working, life—like summer—is all too short. What would you like to accomplish before the weather turns cold?
Blast from the past is a weekly feature at Lifehacker in which we revive old, but still relevant, posts for your reading and hacking pleasure. This week, it's time to kick summer off with a bang.
What's a "Summer Manifesto?"
Ali Edwards outlines exactly what a "summer manifesto" really is:
Last summer I got a chance to be in Andrea's house for just a bit and will never forget the summer list she had on a chalkboard near her door.
I loved the idea of putting into a list what you want to have happen over the ever-so-short months of summer. Setting an intention sounded like a great plan to me.
Here's Ali's list:
The idea is simple. Take some time to think about what you want to accomplish before the summer is out, and hang it somewhere you'll see it and be reminded of it. That way you won't just file it away or add it to your to-do list and forget all about it. Your manifesto can be as lofty and inspired as Ali's, or it can be a practical list of your pet projects. What's really important is that you grab a pen and paper and get started.
Some Ideas for Your Summer Manifesto
If you're like Ali, you'll probably include a few specifically summery items on your list, like going to the beach, eating watermelon, and playing outside. Here are some tools that can help you get started on some of those common must-do items.
Spend more time outdoors: You may know that spending time outdoors is good for your health, your productivity and your self-esteem. If you're looking for a practical reason to get out, why not build a backyard oven, a hammock to relax in, or even a backyard movie theater.
Eat fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables: If some watermelon, stonefruit, or fresh berries are on your spring and summertime menu, you might consider joining a CSA, or joining a co-op to get your hands on the best. You may need to act quickly, and if you're planting a garden, we have plenty of tips to help.
Get active: If you want to use the warm weather months to get active, either indoors or in the great outdoors, we have the right gear to help you get in shape and the right apps to keep track of your progress. Just make sure to stay cool in the heat, okay?
Do some reading: If getting your hands on some good reading mateiral is your goal, it's easier than you think. You could head down to your local library, or load up your ereader with free ebooks at home, or check out previously mentioned Librophile or Zero Dollar Books to get your ebook fix. If making it through the books is your problem, here's how to fit reading into your schedule so you can finish your neglected stack of books. Alternatively, try extreme reading to help you push through your list. Whatever you do, read smarter, and absorb more from what you read. You are putting a good bit of time into it, after all.
What's On Your List?
I like Ali Edwards' list a lot, and I'll probably borrow some of the things on her list, but there are a few more I'd like to add. Here's mine:
Eat outdoors as often as possible. Including grilling when I can, but I'd really just like to spend more time outside with a cool drink, even at a restaurant or a cafe.
Enjoy fresh, seasonal produce. We covered this before, but there's nothing like a good peach in the summertime, or even fresh arugula. Plus, summer is tomato season, and caprese salads are calling my name.
Go on a picnic. It sounds kind of silly, but picnics, especially with friends or loved ones, make for a great day trip or afternoon out of the house. Plus, it gives me an excuse to cook or prep some sandwiches and snacks for a few good friends, toss a bottle of wine into a basket, and head out somewhere beautiful for an afternoon. I highly recommend it.
Get back on a bike. I've sadly let my membership to the local bike share expire, but it's time to re-up it and get outdoors. Biking is my favorite form of exercise, and I've been known to restore old bikes to both score a bargain and feel a connection with my ride, so it might be time to pick up the hobby again. My trusty Fitdesk doesn't always cut it!
Read my backlog of books. Even though I have a super-cheap e-ink tablet, I have yet to maximize its potential. There's no better time to pick up a good book, or load one onto your tablet, than the warm weather months.
Reconnect with old friends. I don't mean Facebook, either. Grabbing a cup of coffee with an old friend I've been meaning to catch up with, or making new friends, is challenging no matter the season, but I find that people are generally more receptive to hang out when it's warm outside. As long as it's not too warm, though.
So now you've seen my summer "manifesto." What's on yours? What do you want to do before the days start getting shorter again and the temperature begins to drop? Make your own lists and share them with us in the comments below.
Photos by Ian Mackenzie, Gunnar Hildonen, and Steven Depolo.