May 15, 2025 • 7 mins
Does your dream of a relaxing summer always turn into chaos by July? You’re not alone! Summer doesn't magically mean easier. Without a little structure, it can feel more exhausting than the school year.
In this episode of Operation May Reset, we’re diving into 3 simple systems that will protect your peace, reduce daily chaos, and help you actually enjoy your summer—without over-planning or rigid schedules. If you're ready for less scrambling and more fun, this one’s for you.
3 Key Takeaways:
- Create a Weekly Family Rhythm
- A few simple, predictable activities each week (like Library Mondays or Pizza Fridays) can reduce decision fatigue and give your family flow without strict schedules.
- Set Up a Summer Essential Station
- One grab-and-go spot for sunscreen, hats, towels, and all your summer MVPs so you’re not running around gathering things last minute.
- Make a Meal + Snack Plan Lite
- A basic dinner and snack rotation to eliminate the constant “What’s for lunch?” questions and free up your brainpower for more fun.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I don't know about you, butevery year I have these dreamy
visions of lazy pool days andfun adventures, and every year,
if I'm not intentional, I end upfeeling busier and more
exhausted by July than I wasduring the school year.
Please tell me that you canrelate to this.
The truth is summer doesn'tautomatically equal easier.
(00:23):
Less school structure can meanhidden chaos unless we get ahead
of it a little bit.
But don't worry, I'm not aboutto tell you to plan every second
or create some intense colorcoded schedule.
Today is all about simplesystems that protect your peace
and make space for real, rest,real fun, and real connection.
(00:43):
Hey there, my name is Tony Ann.
I am the podcast host of TheReal Happy Mom podcast.
The podcast for busy workingmoms who want to gain more time
and achieve their big goalswithout pulling their hair out.
In this episode, we are doinganother part of our operation
may reset.
We're hitting the refresh buttonon life, one small, powerful
(01:07):
step at a time.
Today we're talking about a bigone, setting up simple summer
systems so you can actuallyenjoy your summer.
Instead of wondering how itturned into a stressful blur of
snack requests, sunscreenbattles, and last minute target
runs.
(01:28):
Alright, so let's jump into thethree super simple systems you
can set up right now to createyour easiest summer yet.
Okay.
System number one is creating aweekly family rhythm.
And notice I said rhythm, notschedule.
We're not trying to scheduleevery second of the summer.
We're just creating some softanger points throughout the week
(01:51):
to give your days a littlestructure without it turning
into a full-time job.
So here's how it works.
Instead of waking up everymorning thinking, okay, what are
we gonna do today?
You'll have a simply weeklyrhythm that gives your family a
sense of flow.
For example, you could doMondays mean Library Day,
(02:12):
Wednesdays Equal Water Play, orSplash Park Day, and Fridays
could be family pizza and movienight.
That's it.
Just a few predictable thingsbuilt into your week so you're
not reinventing the wheel everyday, but you still have plenty
of flexibility for lazymornings, spontaneous ice cream
(02:33):
runs, or just doing nothing.
The beauty of this is that itgives your brain and your kids
something to look forward to,and it cuts down on what are we
doing today?
Questions before you've evenfinished your first sip of
coffee.
So your action step for thissystem is sit down this week and
(02:53):
think about two to three simpleactivities you can loosely
assign to certain days.
Make it easy.
Make it realistic and make itsomething that feels good, not
like another chore.
You have to stick to perfectly.
And remember, this is all aboutsupport, not pressure.
Alright.
The second simple system you canset up for a smoother summer is
(03:17):
the summer essential station.
Now, if you're thinking, Tonyand I don't have time to
organize a Pinterest worthymudroom, good news, you don't
need one.
This is literally just aboutcreating one easy grab and go
spot for all things you'reconstantly reaching for during
the summer.
For me, this is sunscreen, bugspray, swimming gear, towels,
(03:39):
hats, water bottles, sunglasses.
You can use a basket, a bin, atote bag, whatever you already
have lying around.
And the goal is that when it istime to head to the park, to the
pool, or the splash pad or justoutside to survive a long
afternoon, you're not runningaround the house gathering
things like a crazy person.
(04:00):
You've got one spot whereeverything lives and it saves
you so much time, so muchenergy, and so many Mom, where's
my questions?
So your action step for thissystem is to pick a corner, a
basket, or even a shelf, andstock it with your summer MVP
items.
You'll thank yourself later,every single time you go out the
(04:23):
door without a meltdown, whetherit's your kids or you.
And bonus.
This helps the kids be moreindependent too, because they
know where their stuff is.
Okay, so moving on to systemnumber three, and honestly, this
one might save your sanity morethan anything else this summer,
and that is the meal plus snackplanned light.
(04:47):
Notice I said the word lightbecause we're not meal prepping
75 gourmet dinners or becomingsnack time cruise directors.
Here's the deal.
During the summer, kids eatapproximately 47 times a day and
somehow they're still starvingevery five minutes after
finishing a snack.
(05:07):
And if you're working, jugglingsummer camp schedules or just
trying to keep your head abovewater.
The constant.
Mom, what's for lunch, mom?
What's for dinner?
Mom?
Can I have a snack?
Can wear you down.
So instead of making a newdecision every five minutes,
let's create a basic rotation.
(05:27):
It could be as simple as threeto four easy dinners.
You can rotate during the week.
Think tacos, pasta, night sheet,pan meals, DIY sandwiches.
Or a set of go-to snacks thateveryone knows about that they
can grab for themselves ifthey're old enough.
So for dinners, think TacoTuesdays, pasta Wednesdays.
(05:49):
Pizza Fridays barbecue Sundays.
And for snacks, you could thinkof things like yogurt, granola
bars, fruit, popcorn, cheesesticks, hummus with crackers,
whatever the kids like.
You could even post this snacklist inside the pantry or the
fridge door so the kids don'thave to ask 50 times a day.
(06:11):
So your action step for thissystem is to take 10 minutes
this week to create a basic mealand snack plan for the summer.
Keep it flexible, keep itsimple, and keep it easy on
yourself because the lessbrainpower you spend answering
food questions, the more energyyou have for the fun stuff, like
actually enjoying your summer.
(06:33):
So to recap, you don't have tooverhaul your entire summer to
make it feel smoother andlighter.
Just a few simple steps.
System one is a loose weeklyrhythm.
System two is an easy to grabessential station, and system
three is a basic meal and snackrotation.
This can seriously change theentire vibe of your summer.
(06:56):
You'll spend less timescrambling and more time stoking
up the good stuff, even if thegood stuff is just sitting on
the porch with your coffee whilethe kids run around like wild
animals.
And listen.
Even setting up one of thesesystems is a huge win.
You're creating a space forpeace, connection, and breathing
room, and that matters more thanany perfect plan ever could.
(07:20):
All right, so that's it for thisweek's episode.
Next week on Operation MayReset.
We're gonna be talking about howto stay focused and productive
while working from home, evenwhen life feels a little
chaotic, it's gonna be a goodone.
So make sure you're subscribedso you don't miss out.
Until next time, pick one simplesystem to set up this week and
(07:42):
I'll talk to you next week.
Take care, and with lots oflove.
I don't know about you, butevery year I have these dreamy
visions of lazy pool days andfun adventures, and every year,
if I'm not intentional, I end upfeeling busier and more
exhausted by July than I wasduring the school year.
Please tell me that you canrelate to this.
The truth is summer doesn'tautomatically equal easier.
(00:23):
Less school structure can meanhidden chaos unless we get ahead
of it a little bit.
But don't worry, I'm not aboutto tell you to plan every second
or create some intense colorcoded schedule.
Today is all about simplesystems that protect your peace
and make space for real, rest,real fun, and real connection.
(00:43):
Hey there, my name is Tony Ann.
I am the podcast host of TheReal Happy Mom podcast.
The podcast for busy workingmoms who want to gain more time
and achieve their big goalswithout pulling their hair out.
In this episode, we are doinganother part of our operation
may reset.
We're hitting the refresh buttonon life, one small, powerful
(01:07):
step at a time.
Today we're talking about a bigone, setting up simple summer
systems so you can actuallyenjoy your summer.
Instead of wondering how itturned into a stressful blur of
snack requests, sunscreenbattles, and last minute target
runs.
(01:28):
Alright, so let's jump into thethree super simple systems you
can set up right now to createyour easiest summer yet.
Okay.
System number one is creating aweekly family rhythm.
And notice I said rhythm, notschedule.
We're not trying to scheduleevery second of the summer.
We're just creating some softanger points throughout the week
(01:51):
to give your days a littlestructure without it turning
into a full-time job.
So here's how it works.
Instead of waking up everymorning thinking, okay, what are
we gonna do today?
You'll have a simply weeklyrhythm that gives your family a
sense of flow.
For example, you could doMondays mean Library Day,
(02:12):
Wednesdays Equal Water Play, orSplash Park Day, and Fridays
could be family pizza and movienight.
That's it.
Just a few predictable thingsbuilt into your week so you're
not reinventing the wheel everyday, but you still have plenty
of flexibility for lazymornings, spontaneous ice cream
(02:33):
runs, or just doing nothing.
The beauty of this is that itgives your brain and your kids
something to look forward to,and it cuts down on what are we
doing today?
Questions before you've evenfinished your first sip of
coffee.
So your action step for thissystem is sit down this week and
(02:53):
think about two to three simpleactivities you can loosely
assign to certain days.
Make it easy.
Make it realistic and make itsomething that feels good, not
like another chore.
You have to stick to perfectly.
And remember, this is all aboutsupport, not pressure.
Alright.
The second simple system you canset up for a smoother summer is
(03:17):
the summer essential station.
Now, if you're thinking, Tonyand I don't have time to
organize a Pinterest worthymudroom, good news, you don't
need one.
This is literally just aboutcreating one easy grab and go
spot for all things you'reconstantly reaching for during
the summer.
For me, this is sunscreen, bugspray, swimming gear, towels,
(03:39):
hats, water bottles, sunglasses.
You can use a basket, a bin, atote bag, whatever you already
have lying around.
And the goal is that when it istime to head to the park, to the
pool, or the splash pad or justoutside to survive a long
afternoon, you're not runningaround the house gathering
things like a crazy person.
(04:00):
You've got one spot whereeverything lives and it saves
you so much time, so muchenergy, and so many Mom, where's
my questions?
So your action step for thissystem is to pick a corner, a
basket, or even a shelf, andstock it with your summer MVP
items.
You'll thank yourself later,every single time you go out the
(04:23):
door without a meltdown, whetherit's your kids or you.
And bonus.
This helps the kids be moreindependent too, because they
know where their stuff is.
Okay, so moving on to systemnumber three, and honestly, this
one might save your sanity morethan anything else this summer,
and that is the meal plus snackplanned light.
(04:47):
Notice I said the word lightbecause we're not meal prepping
75 gourmet dinners or becomingsnack time cruise directors.
Here's the deal.
During the summer, kids eatapproximately 47 times a day and
somehow they're still starvingevery five minutes after
finishing a snack.
(05:07):
And if you're working, jugglingsummer camp schedules or just
trying to keep your head abovewater.
The constant.
Mom, what's for lunch, mom?
What's for dinner?
Mom?
Can I have a snack?
Can wear you down.
So instead of making a newdecision every five minutes,
let's create a basic rotation.
(05:27):
It could be as simple as threeto four easy dinners.
You can rotate during the week.
Think tacos, pasta, night sheet,pan meals, DIY sandwiches.
Or a set of go-to snacks thateveryone knows about that they
can grab for themselves ifthey're old enough.
So for dinners, think TacoTuesdays, pasta Wednesdays.
(05:49):
Pizza Fridays barbecue Sundays.
And for snacks, you could thinkof things like yogurt, granola
bars, fruit, popcorn, cheesesticks, hummus with crackers,
whatever the kids like.
You could even post this snacklist inside the pantry or the
fridge door so the kids don'thave to ask 50 times a day.
(06:11):
So your action step for thissystem is to take 10 minutes
this week to create a basic mealand snack plan for the summer.
Keep it flexible, keep itsimple, and keep it easy on
yourself because the lessbrainpower you spend answering
food questions, the more energyyou have for the fun stuff, like
actually enjoying your summer.
(06:33):
So to recap, you don't have tooverhaul your entire summer to
make it feel smoother andlighter.
Just a few simple steps.
System one is a loose weeklyrhythm.
System two is an easy to grabessential station, and system
three is a basic meal and snackrotation.
This can seriously change theentire vibe of your summer.
(06:56):
You'll spend less timescrambling and more time stoking
up the good stuff, even if thegood stuff is just sitting on
the porch with your coffee whilethe kids run around like wild
animals.
And listen.
Even setting up one of thesesystems is a huge win.
You're creating a space forpeace, connection, and breathing
room, and that matters more thanany perfect plan ever could.
(07:20):
All right, so that's it for thisweek's episode.
Next week on Operation MayReset.
We're gonna be talking about howto stay focused and productive
while working from home, evenwhen life feels a little
chaotic, it's gonna be a goodone.
So make sure you're subscribedso you don't miss out.
Until next time, pick one simplesystem to set up this week and
(07:42):
I'll talk to you next week.
Take care, and with lots oflove.
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