Summer for many of us is the best of times/weather. For some in hot climates, summer is like a northerners winter - unbearable!
Regardless, most of us probably see more daylight hours this time of year. Whether it’s a time you covet or not, how does your daily routine change this time of year? The advantages - or disadvantages???
For me, more outdoor time. The chores of summer - gardening, outside maintenance. The pleasures of summer outdoors - many meals outside, reading on the chaise lounge until I can’t see due to lack of light, more exercise in the wee morning hours and exercise at dusk - nearly bedtime!
Less adherence to “it’s a work night” mentality. Allow myself to be more flexible with getting to bed at a certain time, more freedom to be recreational - a visit with a friend in the evening, ice cream out on a Tuesday night.
Lighter, simpler meals. Less meat, but more grilling when we do have meat. Focus on farmer’s market produce finds for meals.
More antsy to get out of work! Except on the really hot and humid days - the work AC feels just fine. 
Hoping to read others routine changes to inspire additional positive changes in mine!
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I’m in the south and I love love LOVE when the temperature gets over 90. There’s a special happy feeling walking outside when it’s in the upper 90s into triple digits. Sometimes I go sit in the car with the windows up for a few minutes just to get a heightened sensation. Seriously. Ok, when those temperatures are paired with humidity >88%, it starts to get a little less right. But either way, I much prefer 95 degrees to 25 degrees. Sometimes, I choose to cut the grass (push mower) during the hottest part of the hottest days, just to see if my body handles the load well.
My summer changes mostly by my days not being controlled by school schedules. Not having to take two or three kids to two or three different schools at two or three different times in the morning, then repeating in the afternoon, allows me to do a lot more with my days. Regarding non-kid-related life, I get 500% more accomplished during the 3 months of summer than I do the other 9 months of the year.
School gets out this Friday. I. Can’t. Wait!
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I’m where it is unbearably hot and humid in the summer and we spend half the summer worrying about hurricanes. It is NOT my favorite season. We try to stay indoors as much as possible and get away if we can. Usually work gets busy in the summer for both of us but we are going to try to get away to go visit S. His schedule is too packed to come home this summer and we haven’t seen him since Christmas.
Mainly it is just the same old. We do eat lighter, more smoothies for meals. Other than that is work, help with grandson who lives with us each evening, craft after he goes to bed and not much else. Husband plays golf VERY early in the morning on the weekends.
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Summer in Maine is glorious. Unlike @EconPop, I am miserable when it’s 90 or above. I prefer 25 to 85. So Maine is perfect for me. And I don’t even mind the rare days when it IS above 90, because I know the heat won’t last long.
I try to make it a point to get outside a little while every day and play with the dogs or go for a walk. And this summer will be special because my daughter wants to take as many day trips with me as possible.
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Since I love in San Diego where the weather is pretty spectacular all year round my routine probably doesn’t change as much some of you. The longer days are great for getting out and walking to the beach nightly.
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Believe it or not, I love the winter in SoCal, I get to bake more often without turning on A/C. In the summer, I get to eat lighter food, mostly more grilling outside.
I get up the same time and I can see my plants early in the morning, not so dark like in the winter. My favorite time here is Spring, where my flowers are at their best.
We eat outside almost every night in the summer, also H does a lot of grilling. This is my first summer in the northern midwest (since I left in 1980), and so far the high’s where I am are in the low 70’s - perfect!
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Me too! Also in the South (although lived in the North the first 21 of my 59 years) and also like the heat, although less the humidity. When I leave my over a/c’d work I drive the 10 minutes home with the windows down even if it’s in the 90s. Carpooled with H last week and he thought I was crazy - he wanted to crank the car a/c as soon as we got in. LOL.
Love to sit on my screen porch under the ceiling fan until after dark in the summer. Therefore I watch much less tv, but read more. Eat more ice cream! More outdoor chores and fewer indoor chores. Summer festivals. Road trips. Fresh fruit and veggies. I work in higher education so even though I work all summer, there’s that summer break feeling on campus. Which includes massive numbers of high schoolers attending camps. But after two years without, I’m actually looking forward to their return.
My major summer dislike is - mosquitos.
Edited to add: I’m re-reading this and remembering that it’s still actually Spring here in the South and by July and August it will be miserably hot and humid even sitting on the porch until after dark and I probably will be less enthusiastic about it than I am now. 
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I feel like I’m on constant vacation this time of year!
We move to eating on the sunporch for breakfast and dinner and typically lunch is on the patio. If I’m alone, lunch gets taken to the beach.
I read more, garden more, and spend as much time as possible outside. We also tend to eat more salads and lighter fare. Also, H takes over lots of the cooking as we move to using the grill.
We kayak every weekend the weather cooperates.
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I adore summers in the PNW, even this one where it won’t stop raining. The succession of Azaleas>Rhododendrons>Hydrangeas is glorious. The minus tide beach walks & really any beach outing with the grandkids. The sunsets well after 9 and last light after 10PM, the days are so long. I love mowing my lawn on a sunny summer evening. The bald eagles, the herons, the seals all hanging out.
Despite growing up with summers 90s/100s I am am fully acclimated to the PNW with highs in the 60s/70s. Because the sun & warmth feel like rare and precious commodities up here, I appreciate them much more than I ever did every single sunny day in more southerly climes.
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In general, the routine doesn’t change. In the past, when H was out for the summer, he’d fuss at me to stay up later to watch TV. One hour doesn’t sound like a lot, but over the course of the summer it would drag me down. He’s stopped doing that thank goodness.
Summer is not a happy time. I loathe the heat & humidity. My body does not feel good in the summer - and even spring/fall is too hot for me! And my body doesn’t adapt. I get worse as the summer drags on, and each summer seems worse. August is by far the worst month of the year. Everything is gross and I swear it smells like the world is rotting. It’s too hot to do anything and I feel like I’m trapped in a tomb.
H (teacher) hates having nothing to do during the summer days. He comes up with some projects which does help, but he hates the heat as well and just grumbles every day. We are not a happy bunch in the summer, lol!
Honestly not that much. More gardening and grilling, but we grill in the winter too. Ever since we got a screen porch we eat all meals out there if the temperature is over 60. It’s pretty rare we think it’s too hot. I tend to have a lot of work in the summer because it’s prime construction season.
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More gardening, grilling, biking…
Lighter meals, often eaten outside.
Daily walks shift from early or late, to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Lots of beach time, but that’s an all year thing for us. The difference is the amount of time and activities undertaken while spent there (an entire afternoon sunning, swimming, reading and enjoying a cocktail in the summer v. a 30 minute brisk walk, bundled in many layers in the winter).
We also tend to socialize more in the summer. Lots more impromptu porch gatherings with friends.
I love summer!
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Except for the twelve weeks of hell in AZ (it’s not a dry heat when monsoon season pours water onto the frying pan) from mid July to October, the weather is glorious. We used to hibernate during those weeks though we’d grill year-round. Now that we’re spending five months in Maine, we’re enjoying comfortable temps all year, no extreme heat or cold, same wardrobe, low HVAC costs. Basically, its summer all year for us now. We do similar things in each location, spending the bulk of our time outdoors, but the scenery is vastly different, and we enjoy socializing with the different sets of friends/family who live in each location. So, I guess splitting time between two very different parts of the country is our routine change,
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We walk in the evening. The time gradually moved up as the days are hotter. We wear deet in the evening. We have to use a leash to take the dog out for breaks during the day. The deer are everywhere all day long. In addition the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits are out. Same eating habits and exercise habits.
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I’m retired, so I tend to revolve my schedule around best times/temps for running and in the summer for yardwork and gardening (at house and in our church giving garden). Also we try to head into the mountains for more day trips in summer.
We grill year round but do like the opportunity (well me more than hubby) for eating out on the patio. Love the extended daylight, which enables more outdoor restaurant meals with friends … especially welcomed in this endless season of Covid.
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The best thing about working for ourselves is that I can decide to take off from work on a beautiful day and go wherever I want. Yesterday I went to the Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor. Wow. It’s a breathtaking place. I spent hours there wandering around. Besides beautiful manicured gardens with fountains, they have rough trails that remind me of the Appalachian Trail, a smooth path right next to an ocean cove, a huge rhododendron garden in the woods, a fairy village that kids can add to, huge wooden trolls scattered through the woods, a cafe, and a nice shop. It was 70 degrees and not that crowded. I talked to several people, and they were from all over the country. I feel lucky to live here! It would be more challenging as a tourist since the weather changes so often.
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The main differences. Work switches to under construction which is mostly less stressful. Farmer’s market and CSA deliveries determine the menu. Better flowers on our walks.
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