Summer Self Care Struggles:

Why It's So Hard and How to Stress-Less

Summer may be full of sunshine, but let’s be real, it’s not always the easiest season to take care of yourself.

Between disrupted routines, never-ending family plans, social pressures, and the heat (oh, that heat!), it can feel like your self care goals melt away faster than a popsicle on the sidewalk.

Whether you’re working from home, caring for kids, navigating chronic health conditions, or just trying to get through the day, here’s some encouragement: You are not alone! And there are ways to feel better without having to overhaul your life.

Summer Self Care Struggles Are Real

Just because you look forward to that summer sun doesn't mean it's not without it's challenges:

1. Disrupted Routines

Kids are out of school. Work-from-home life gets messier. Travel plans pop up. It’s easy to lose track of routines that keep you grounded, like sleep, movement, or meal planning.

2. Food and Drink Temptations

Summer often brings barbecues, sweet treats, and patio cocktails. There’s nothing wrong with indulgence, but it can feel hard to stay connected to your health goals.

3. Body Image Pressures

Swimsuit season + social media = a lot of unnecessary pressure to “look” a certain way. For many women and gender minorities, this season triggers self-doubt, especially for those living in a body that’s been judged, underestimated, or scrutinised.

4. Extreme Weather and Environment

Heat, humidity, or air quality issues can make it difficult to exercise or even leave the house. If you live with a visible or invisible disability, chronic illness, or sensory sensitivity, summer conditions can be especially draining.

5. Emotional and Mental Health Fluctuations

Summer can be overstimulating and exhausting. More socializing, less structure, and added pressure to “enjoy every moment” can lead to burnout. Some people also experience summer-onset SAD, with symptoms like insomnia, restlessness, or irritability.

6. Time and Energy Drain

From managing kids at home to overbooking your calendar, summer can stretch your time (and patience) thin. Your to-do list grows, but your energy might not keep up.

7. Financial Stress

Between vacations, childcare, back-to-school shopping, and more, summer can feel financially tight. That can mean cutting back on wellness tools that support your self care, like therapy, fitness classes, or healthy groceries.

Summer Self Care That Actually Works

Let’s flip the script. You don’t need a perfect schedule or a “summer body” to feel good. What you need is permission to take care of yourself in small, sustainable ways, no matter your circumstances.

Here’s how to reclaim your self care with compassion and flexibility:

Simplify Your Routine (And Be Kind to Yourself When It Changes)

• Choose just one or two “anchor habits” to stick with daily (e.g. drink water after waking, 5 minutes of quiet).

• Create a light structure, not a strict schedule.

• If you’re traveling or juggling kid duties, look for micro-moments to rest, like 10 deep breaths while folding laundry or stretching while the coffee brews.

Practice Mindful (Not Perfect) Eating

• Go for balance, not restriction. The 80/20 rule (80% nourishing foods, 20% joy-foods) can help reduce guilt.

• Stay hydrated, water helps with energy, digestion, and curbs cravings that are really thirst in disguise.

• Bring your own snacks or eat a small protein-rich meal before social events to feel more in control.

Support Your Body Without Fixating on Its Shape

• Focus on how your body feels and functions, not how it looks. “My body lets me hug my kids. My legs carried me today.”

• Unfollow any social media accounts that make you feel less than. Fill your feed with body-positive or body-neutral voices.

• Wear clothes that fit and feel good now, not the ones that make you feel uncomfortable.

Adapt to the Environment

• Move your body when it’s cooler, try early mornings or shaded walks in the evening.

• Stay indoors when needed, there’s no shame in a living room yoga session or seated stretches at your desk.

• If you have sensory issues or chronic fatigue, rest counts as self care. Your needs are valid, even if they don’t look like anyone else’s.

Support Your Mental and Emotional Health

• Try daily check-ins: “How do I feel right now? What do I need?”

• Protect your “quiet time”, even if it’s 10 minutes in the car with a podcast or a moment alone in the bathroom.

• If possible, consider summer therapy or coaching to work through burnout, identity shifts, or body image concerns.

Make Time for You, Even in Small Doses

• Self-care doesn’t have to be spa days or long workouts. It can be:

  • Sitting in silence for 5 minutes

  • Listening to your favorite playlist while folding laundry

  • Saying “no” to one thing this week

   

  Ask yourself: What’s my bare minimum today? (Maybe it’s brushing your teeth, drinking water, and getting to bed before midnight. And that’s okay.)

Care for Yourself on a Budget

• Use free wellness resources:

  • YouTube yoga or movement videos

  • Library books or audiobooks

  • Free journaling apps or mindfulness tools

   

• Find joy in low-cost or free rituals, like a sunset walk, homemade iced tea, or a backyard picnic.

• If you have limited energy or funds, focus on one supportive thing at a time (like a new water bottle, soft pillow, or community class).

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to do more, you just need to care for yourself with the same patience and love you give others. Your self care doesn’t have to be perfect, aesthetic, or Instagram-worthy to matter.

Whether you’re juggling work, kids, chronic illness, neurodivergence, or just trying to survive the heat, you’re doing great. Small, consistent choices can still lead to powerful change.

This summer, let your self care be softer, slower, and more you-shaped.

Happy Summer ☀️