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Summertime is time for being Appairent
Michael Hatfield
July 20, 2024
Welp, here I am again…you haven’t heard from me in like a month. Why? Yes, part of it is work…but c’mon, I can find time to write. I’m glad to report the reason you haven’t heard from me is I’ve been busy BEING Appairent. And this edition is to make sure you are too: you can’t get these moments back!
It’s summertime, baby. The time of year where extra daylight yields extra 🍦 trips, evening swimming pool visits, boat runs, bike rides, 🍻 , italian white wine, italian ice….just a little…extra!
Family vacation? We’re probably all lucky enough to have one in the summer calendar. I’m getting stoked for my all-fam trip in August b/c that really helps with counterbalancing. But today I’m urging you to look for everyday moments you can “steal” from work or your “autopilot” schedule and create some joy and memories.
Take 2 minutes to assess what you’ve done with your kids, your spouse, or your friends since Memorial Day. Maybe you’re already actually crushing it. Keep it up! Whether you need motivation to keep it up or this assessment gave you a 💩 feeling, follow me.
I think the following checklist takes ~20 minutes and you’re “buying” yourself 12+ hours of intentional enjoyment. CALENDAR IT. Reduce your mental load, you’ll have something to look forward to. And I guarantee you’ll thank yourself and so will your wife and kids.
You just “bought back” time from others that steal time last-minute (work…procrastinators…shiny objects that always “seem” important if you don’t have a plan)…don’t let them have it back.
Parent
Swim time: I’ve cut out of work at 4p and taken my son to the public pool for .50c a few times. Serious memory dividends you just gotta make in the summer ☀️. Calendar an afternoon to do this right now, maybe at a time you don’t typically make it to the pool. If weather messes you up, reschedule it don’t nix it!
Ice cream social: Another obvious one, but making sure it’s on the calendar means you get one before the fleeting summer vibe is gone. Make a trip to your local Jenni’s or buy all the fixin’s for home and watch the drips land on your porch among the smiles.
Partner
1. Frozen cocktail HH: With or w/o alcohol, with or w/o a sitter, at home or out. Calendar a time to exclusively work with frozen drinks. My hometown favorite is a gamechanger, but any concoction will change the game.
2. Book al fresco sunset dinner: calendar a date night around sunset in your ‘hood. Ladies love date night and there is just a special vibe about ~dusk in the summer out and about. I too go to bed at 9p often, but a later evening in the summer will yield a memory dividend.
Person
1. Schedule 1 “learn something” or “practice something”: This is different than a round of golf or a standing session with your trainer. Calendar a specific 2-3 hours. Get a lesson. Read-up on something you’ve been wanting to get into (mine’s knowing how to actually fish in Charleston), or actually work on the thing you’ve been hobbying. Extra sunlight hours are a great time to squeeze this in vs. 1 more netflix show.
2. Man time: Generic, yes. Often skipped for months at a time, also yes. Coordinate a spot a few weeks out w/ your partner. Calendar it. Text your dudes and try to get consensus. Move the block accordingly and make one happen.
If you’re thinking “I do this on the fly” that’s fair. Spontaneity is always awesome. Problem is it often gets shoved aside for what’s right in front of you. Planning a few guarantees they happen…you can add more on a whim, always a good thing.