Summer Wellbeing: How the SPRINT Team Recharges
In previous blog posts, members of the SPRINT Project team have shared some of the self-care activities and wellbeing practices that support their mental health throughout the year. Summer often brings a welcome change of pace within academia. Teaching commitments are reduced, campuses become quieter, and many people take annual leave. For some, it creates opportunities for rest, travel, hobbies, and time with family and friends. For others, changes in routine, caring responsibilities, or periods of hot weather can bring their own challenges.
While everyone's experience of summer is different, it can be a useful opportunity to reflect on wellbeing and consider the activities, routines, and people that help us feel our best. Below, several members of the SPRINT Project team share their wellbeing top tip, how they take care of themselves during the summer months, and one highlight from their summer.
Kirsty Brown
Wellbeing Top Tip
I try to put less pressure on myself during the summer, as I know that changes in pace and routine can affect the way I work and my energy levels. I try to be flexible about when I work and treat myself with kindness if I do not achieve as much as I had planned.
"I try to put less pressure on myself during the summer and treat myself with kindness if I do not achieve as much as I had planned."
How do you take care of yourself over the summer?
I try to create a routine, even though it looks different from term time. I take advantage of the better weather and extra daylight by engaging in sporting activities, catching up with friends and family, and spending more time outdoors. I also enjoy activities that are less practical during the winter months, such as working in the garden, going for evening walks, and outdoor painting.
What's one exciting or fun thing you've done over the summer?
With the help of a friend, I built and painted a shed in my garden for all my DIY tools and paints. Although that may not sound like everyone's idea of fun, I love a house project and really enjoyed learning new DIY skills, spending time with a friend, and seeing a project through from start to finish.
👉 Check out our previous post on Creativity as Self-Care
Emma Morgan
Wellbeing Top Tip
Practise gratitude by pausing to savour small everyday moments and appreciate the little things. It can be very easy to move straight on to the next task or challenge, but sometimes it is worth slowing down and taking stock of the moments that made you smile, helped you feel calm, or simply made your day a little better. Often, it is the small moments that end up meaning the most.
"Often, it is the small moments that end up meaning the most."
How do you take care of yourself over the summer?
Summer gives me an opportunity to step back from teaching dance and spend some time recharging. I enjoy keeping busy, but I also try not to overfill my diary with too many tasks and social commitments. Leaving space for quiet time and activities that feel restorative is important to me.
Over the summer I enjoy catching up with friends over coffee, spending time with family, going on forest walks, painting, photography, taking day trips, and listening to music. I also find that I need to slow down a little during periods of hot weather, as I am not always the biggest fan of very hot summer days.
What's one exciting or fun thing you've done over the summer?
One of the highlights of my summer was taking my two-year-old nephew to West Midlands Safari Park for the first time. He absolutely adores animals, so seeing his excitement as he discovered different animals was incredibly special. We also had lots of fun exploring the wider park together.
👉 Check out our previous post on Gratitude as Self-Care
Michelle Dwarika
Wellbeing Top Tip
Wellbeing does not have to be complicated. Find small pockets of time to do something that brings you joy and helps you recharge.
"Wellbeing does not have to be complicated."
How do you take care of yourself over the summer?
Summer gives me more time to spend with my son, husband, friends, and family in Switzerland. I like to stay active but use the season as an opportunity to try new workouts, explore places such as Basel and London, visit museums and concerts, and spend time catching up with friends.
What's one exciting or fun thing you've done over the summer?
One of my dearest friends convinced me to attend BST Hyde Park to see Duran Duran. Although I only knew some of their biggest hits beforehand, the enjoyment and entertainment were definitely 10 out of 10.
👉 Check our previous post on Connection as Self-Care
Jennifer Cumming
Wellbeing Top Tip
I find it helpful to accept that routines and priorities may look different during the summer rather than expecting myself to maintain the same pace as during term time. Rather than trying to be productive and optimise every part of your life, identify instead a few things that matter most to your wellbeing and make time for them consistently.
"Summer is a good reminder that wellbeing is not about doing more, but about making time for what matters most."
How do you take care of yourself over the summer?
Summer provides an opportunity to step back from the hectic pace of the academic year and reconnect with the things that help me feel good and function well. I try to spend quality time with family and friends, get outside for regular walks, prioritise sleep and exercise, and create a little more space for reflection and planning the academic year ahead.
What's one exciting or fun thing you've done over the summer?
This summer my family welcomed Bailey, a working cocker spaniel puppy. Bailey is certainly keeping us busy, but she has already brought a great deal of laughter, joy, and more time outdoors into our daily lives.
👉 Check out our previous post on Nature as Self-Care
Final Thoughts
As these reflections show, looking after our wellbeing does not have to involve major life changes or elaborate self-care routines. Sometimes it is about making time for the people, places, hobbies, and small moments that help us recharge and reconnect with what matters most.
Whether your summer has been full of travel and adventure, quieter moments of reflection, or simply finding joy in everyday activities, we hope these reflections encourage you to consider what supports your own wellbeing and to make space for it in your life.
After all, wellbeing is not about doing more. Sometimes it is about noticing and appreciating what is already there.
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