Over the next few weeks, we’ll be discussing summer so that you can plan to have your best summer ever.

But first, we need to talk about developing your summer routines. Part of living seasonally is adjusting your daily and weekly routines to take advantage of each season.

During the summer, days are longer and hotter. Usually, things are a bit slower. School is on break. Traffic is usually reduced (no school buses), and many activities take the summer off. So, you may find yourself with some extra time.

On the other hand, there are some new tasks. The lawn requires mowing. The garden must be tended. Summer sports are in full swing. And there’s still cleaning and cooking and the other essential tasks to accomplish.

As a rule, I like to keep my summer evenings as free as possible. That way, I can do outdoor movies or meet friends for an al fresco dinner or a happy hour drink. Or I can just lie on my hammock with my dog and read for a while. So, I alter my routine to do as much as possible in the mornings. I start by setting my alarm to ring 15  minutes earlier. Once that’s normal to me, I can take it back even earlier. If I get up between 5:30 and 6 every morning, I have more than enough time to complete all of my tasks and still make it to work on time. Then, when I get home after work, I can walk the dog and climb in the hammock to read for a while.

Also, since I like to extend my summer weekends as much as possible, I usually shift the Friday Tidy to Thursday night. That way, my weekend begins as soon as I leave work on Friday.

During the spring and early summer, I like to use my lunch hour to get some exercise — 30 minutes of brisk walking. In the height of summer, it’s too hot and humid to be outside at noon. So, I shift my exercise to the early morning hours, before it gets too hot. I use my lunch hours to do computer work — paying bills, keeping up with the blog, updating social media, etc.

Now, my routine doesn’t need to be yours. Maybe you want to set aside time for a weekly tennis match. Or you want to make it a habit to stop at the Wednesday farmers’ market. Or you have Little League games every Wednesday and Saturday. Whatever it is that you do.

What changes do you need to make to greet the summer?