#86 Reset on the Go: 5 Hacks for Summer Stress

Have you ever found yourself walking in circles once school lets out because the daily routine is slack, and you don’t know which direction to go in?

This was ME for the first two weeks of every summer. I kept myself on such a tight routine that included my meditations and all that jazz, and there was this beauty in not having to show up somewhere at a certain time, and that made it feel naughty to purposely NOT attend to ANYTHING. 

And then I'd remember I had to organzie the family packing for vacation and the total overhaul I need to do on some of my lesson plans, and I wanted to take that one course I couldn’t take during the school year, and yeah…

I was completely out of focus.

Even sitting down to watch TV felt off.

Here’s the truth so many of us feel but don’t say out loud

Summers aren’t always relaxing.
For parents and teachers especially, it’s often just a different kind of busy.

That’s when I remembered something I teach all the time, but needed to practice myself in that very moment:
You don’t need a full day off to reset your nervous system. You just need a moment.

So in this week's blog, I’m sharing five portable, science-backed mindfulness practices that you can do anywhere, even in the cereal aisle or the school supply section of Target. Because peace isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we create.

For parents and teachers who can’t catch a break, this is how you catch your breath.

Summer sounds like it should be relaxing… but for most of us? It’s not always. At least, we could certainly do a better job of embracing all that it has to offer us, right?

You're trying to keep up with kids, manage a shifting schedule, prep for a new school year, maybe even grab a moment to yourself, while managing mindless comments from non-teachers like, “You’re so lucky to have he same schedule as your kids!” Meanwhile, you spend every night before you go to bed trying to figure out who’s watching the kids the next day so you can work that extra job or take that class, so keeping up isn’t always happening. You thought this season would be your reset, but somehow the stress packed a bag and came along with ya.

The good news is, you don’t need a full day off to reset your nervous system. You just need moments. And those moments are more powerful than you think, especially when you pair them with tools like breathwork, tapping, and grounding practices that you can do anywhere.

Here are 5 quick practices to help you feel more present, peaceful, and powerful, even when the day feels like a runaway train.

1. The “Before the Scroll” Reset

Problem: You wake up already anxious.
Solution: Start your day with a breath instead of your phone.

Place a hand on your heart and one on your belly. Bring your attention to the breath coming in and out of your nose. Allow yourself some time to settle here, and then begin to shape your breath. And what I mean by that is:

Inhale through the nose to the count of 4

Hold your breath for a count of 4

Exhale the breath out of the nose for a count of 6

Do this 5 times before you open your eyes in the morning.

Whisper this: “I start my day in peace, and I lead with presence. I control my day.”

2. Tap Through the Tension 

Problem: You’re overwhelmed and short-fused.
Solution: Use EFT to interrupt the stress cycle.

Tap through the points with this script:

• Even though I’m stretched thin, I have compassion for all that I'm doing. 3x
  
  
• Tap through all the points [Download your tapping guide here] while tuning in to all the ways you're stretched thin and the sensations that are created in your body.

Your body listens.

Your nervous system shifts.

You come back to yourself.

3. The 30-Second Mirror Practice

Problem: You’re running on empty and being way too hard on yourself.
Solution: Look yourself in the eye. Say something kind.

Seriously, this isn’t silly. It’s science. Mirror work rewires your brain. Say:

• “You’re doing the best you can.”
  
  
• “You’re allowed to rest.”
  
  
• “You’re going to be okay.”
  
  

Smile.

Your cells feel it.

They respond in kind.

Your stress softens.

4. Walk to Regulate, Not to Accomplish

Problem: You’re spinning. Brain won’t stop.
Solution: Ground through your feet.

Wherever you are: beach, driveway, mall parking lot - take 10 slow, barefoot (if you can) or intentional steps. Breathe and feel the contact of the earth.

Whisper this: “The earth holds me. I’m supported.”

5. Gratitude Voice Note (Instead of Guilt Loop)

Problem: You feel like you didn’t “do enough” today.
Solution: Anchor to what went right.

At bedtime or while doing dishes, record a voice note with 3 things that made you smile, laugh, or sigh in relief. It trains your brain to find more of those.

Bottom Line: You Don’t Need a Whole Day. You Need One Moment.

Let go of the idea that peace comes from “getting it all done.”
Peace comes from building mini habits that support you, even when life doesn’t.

You deserve to feel good now. Not “after vacation.” Not “when the kids are back in school.”

Now.

Let’s stop waiting for calm and start practicing it in the moments we already have.

If you've got some stories to share or questions to ask, I'd love to hear them. Leave a comment or DM me on Instagram at @jenncaputo because when we lift each other up, we all grow wiser.

Remember, it's not about being perfect. It's about being easy with the practice.