As the summer approaches, so does the dread of the open schedule. There’s a peculiar kind of anxiety that arrives not with deadlines, but with the absence of them. The calendar sits blank, a clean slate that should feel like freedom. It should feel like a possibility. But instead, it looms like a void, unyielding, oppressive, and eerily quiet. No classes, no job. What exactly do I do in this in-between time?
There is a myth that free time is always a gift. Those unstructured days are a luxury we should crave. But when the hours stretch ahead without shape or purpose, the mind starts to fray. Time becomes thick, gelatinous. Every choice feels monumental, as if the wrong activity could waste a day, a week, a life.
The dread isn’t laziness. It’s the paralysis of infinite choice. It’s the creeping fear that, given all the time in the world, you still won’t do the thing. You still won’t become the person. That maybe you don’t know what you want to do with your time, and that question is too heavy to answer.
I decided to try to combat this dread somehow, not allow it to take over. And I think…scratch that, I know, I am not the only person to feel this way. Especially postgrad. Here are some ways I plan to do this, and hopefully, they can help you do as well.
Define what “feels good” means for you in a routine
Having more energy?
Feeling confident in your body?
Making progress on personal goals?
Focusing on relaxation?
Create daily structure- These are ideas to have a loose structure in your days. Target points that you can rely on every day and that can look different.
Morning (sets the tone)
Try to wake up at the same time every day
Do something grounding
Eat a nourishing breakfast
Midday (stay engaged)
Do something productive
Move body
Eat a yummy lunch
Evening (restore + connect)
Get outside
Do something social or creative
Consistent wind-down time
Pick 2-3 weekly anchors ( stable things you can do and rely on each week to keep a sense of rhythm
Workout/walk MWF
Grocery shop Sundays
Creative project time on Tuesday nights
Weekly call w/ family
Gently keep track ( does not need to be perfect just staying mindful)
Use a journal, habit tracker, planner etc…
Be your own hype person ( cringe but true)
Keep promises to yourself
Talk to yourself like you would a best friend
Celebrate little wins
Make room for joy and rest
Ice cream runs
Movie nights
Spontaneous adventures
Afternoon naps
I know that when your days feel lost and you have no idea where to take them, it can help to have inspiration to take from. Here is a simple way to look at your week as well as a daily routine that I want to try for myself this summer, and I hope can allow some inspiration for anyone feeling anxious about the complete lack of structure summer may bring.
Day-Focus Anchor/Activity
Monday- Set goals for the week + movement
Tuesday-Creative time
Wednesday- Body care/self-care
Thursday- Social connection
Friday- Fun/ free day
Saturday- Adventure day
Sunday- Rest and prep for the week
Now that we have some simple anchors for the week, what will our days look like?
Morning
Wake up at the same time and journal
Breakfast with protein
Do one meaningful task that you have been avoiding or dreading
Light movement
Midday
Shower and get dressed in a cute outfit that you feel good in
Try a new recipe for lunch (enjoy yummy summer fruit!)
Personal project
Rest or creative break
Evening
Social time
Go outdoors
Book/show/craft
Skincare/wind down routine
Summer doesn’t have to be some epic transformation. It can be slow and gentle. Full of missteps and ice cream and half-finished projects. But it’s yours. And with even a little structure, a little intention, it can start to feel less like a blank void—and more like a space you get to shape.
needed this more than you know