Your Summer Self-Care Kit. How to Stay Calm, Focused, and Energised Through the Season

Written By Ruth Thomas

I still remember the summer a few years ago when my work stress hit an all-time high.
Everyone else seemed to be sipping iced drinks in the sunshine and taking long weekends whilst I was sat at my desk with achey shoulders, itchy hayfever eyes and with a to-do list that seemed to multiply overnight.

Even when I finished work, my mind didn’t switch off. I’d go out for a walk early evening, but instead of enjoying the warmth, I was mentally running through emails I hadn’t answered. My body was in summer, but my head was still in January mode, pushing, striving and rushing.

That summer was when I discovered something that completely changed the way I looked after myself as I became aware of seasonal self-care kits that actually worked!


Not because I suddenly had more time (I didn’t!), but because I built little rituals, mindset shifts, and Yoga practices that helped me work with the season, instead of against it.

This summer, I want to share with you how to create your own Summer Self-Care Kit, one that feels grounding, cooling, and deeply replenishing, so you can manage work stress without missing out on the joy of the season.

Why Seasonal Self-Care Works

In Yoga we are regularly reminded about the importance of living in rhythm and with the cycles of nature. Summer brings heat, longer days and a natural outward energy, but if you’re already overwhelmed from work stress, summer’s intensity can tip you into burnout faster than you think.

A seasonal self-care kit helps you balance that fiery summer energy, think of it as a gentle reminder to slow down, cool off, and choose nourishment over overload.

What Goes in Your Summer Self-Care Kit

A good kit has three things:

  1. Simple rituals to help you pause and recharge.

  2. Yoga poses to calm your body and mind (and they don’t need a mat or fancy leggings).

  3. Mindset shifts to keep work stress in its place so it doesn’t spill into your whole life.

1. Summer Rituals for Cooling and Calming

You don’t need hours for these, they’re quick, sensory pauses to reset your nervous system and help you feel cool, calm and collected for the rest of summer.

  • Cooling herbal tea break
    Swap your afternoon coffee for a mint or fruity iced tea. Take it outside, feel the sun on your skin and give yourself permission to do nothing for those five minutes, other than be in the present moment.

  • Sunset walk
    Instead of cramming in another hour of emails, end your workday with a short walk. The softer evening light signals to your body that it’s time to wind down, relax and prepare for a restful sleep.

  • Desk declutter reset
    Each Friday, clear your desk completely. Wipe it down, put away anything you don’t need, and set it up for Monday with one small thing that makes you smile (a fresh flower, a crystal, a photo). It’s a symbolic “close” to your working week and a reminder on Monday morning, that you can start the week in a calm way.

2. Yoga Poses to Beat the Heat and Ease Stress

These poses are all beginner-friendly and can be done in your work clothes if you’re short on time!

  • Seated Side Stretch
    Sit tall in your chair, inhale, and lift your right arm overhead. Exhale, lean to the left and feel the length along your side body. Take 5 slow breaths, then switch sides. This releases tension from your body after it’s been hunched over a desk all day and helps you breathe deeper.

  • Standing Forward Fold
    Stand with feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Take a big deep breath in, gently reaching your arms overhead, as you exhale fold forward, bringing your belly towards your thighs. Repeat 3 times, moving with your breath. This pose is really calming and can help release tension from your whole back.

  • Legs Up the Wall (or feet on a chair)
    At the end of your day, lie down on the floor, with your legs resting up the wall. Close your eyes, slow your breathing down, and allow your legs to relax. It’s like hitting the reset button for your whole body (and an all-time favourite of mine!)

  • Cooling Breath (Sitali Pranayama)
    Sit comfortably, curl your tongue like a straw (or just purse your lips), and inhale through your mouth Notice the cool air hitting your tongue and then exhale through your nose, noticing the warm air moving out of your nostrils. Repeat a few times until you feel cooler. This helps lower your body temperature and calm your mind, perfect on a hot, stressful day!

3. Mindset Shifts for a Summer of Less Stress

These are small but mighty changes in perspective and are inspired by Santosha, the Yogic principle of contentment.

  • Shift from “more” to “enough”
    Instead of cramming your summer with every social plan, project, and personal goal, choose a few that matter most. Remind yourself: I don’t need to do it all to make it a good summer.

  • Swap urgency for presence
    When your mind says “just one more email” at 6:30pm, ask yourself: Will this matter more than a slow dinner in the garden tonight? Chances are, it won’t.

  • Celebrate micro-moments
    Practice Mindfulness throughout your day by noticing the smell of freshly cut grass on your lunch break, the taste of ripe strawberries, the warmth of your morning cuppa. The more you notice these, the more you anchor yourself in calm, rather than stress.

How to Build Your Kit

Your Summer Self-Care Kit can live in a small basket, a drawer, or even a digital note. The key is to have everything ready so you don’t need to “think” when you’re stressed.

Here’s an example of what mine looks like:

  • A few of my favourite herbal tea bags

  • A notebook and pen for quick brain dumps or gratitude lists

  • An eye pillow for when my eyes are feeling strained

  • My favourite cooling essential oil (peppermint or eucalyptus)

  • A reminder on my phone with my 3 go-to Yoga poses for stress relief

  • Sunglasses (because yes, protecting your eyes counts as self-care!)

Your Summer Invitation

You don’t have to wait for your workload to lighten or your inbox to be empty to feel calm. The truth is, that perfect moment may never come, but you can create moments of calm in the middle of the busyness and that’s where your seasonal self-care kit comes in.

Start small. Pick one ritual, one pose, and one mindset shift from above. Do them every day for the next week, and notice how you feel.

This summer, I hope you give yourself permission to work a little less like a machine and a little more like a human who deserves rest, joy, and balance.

Because the work will always be there. But summer? She won’t wait.

Want to learn how just a few minutes a day can transform your self-care routine? Join us for the FREE 5 Day Stick to your Self-Care Challenge that starts on Monday 15th September 2025. Full details here

Ruth Thomas
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