Summer sunrise: Fun ways to make the most of daylight

Eat dinner outside

Don’t stay cooped up inside for dinner -- move it out to the deck, porch or patio. Enjoy your evening meal outdoors, when it’s cooler outside but still light enough to see across the table. Even better: make sure that dinner is cooked outside on the grill.

Hit the road

All that extra sunlight means plenty of time to explore. Take a walk, take a hike, ride your bike or rollerblade. It doesn’t matter what you do -- just make sure you’re not spending those extra sunny hours parked on the couch. Get out and breathe the fresh air while you get in some exercise.

Have a weeknight barbeque

We tend to think we need to be home for the night by dark when we have work the next morning. Through the winter months, this gives us a pretty early deadline, but that’s not so in the summer. Use the extra sunlight to throw a midweek barbecue for your friends. It’ll be a fun change of pace to host a get-together through the week. It’ll also help break up your workweek and make it pass by quicker.

Work in your garden

Gardening takes a lot of time, which most of us just don’t have. The extra hours of sunlight in the summer give you a chance to get outside and get your hands dirty.

Go for a dip

Wash away the day with a dip in the pool. Cool off, relax and take some time to enjoy yourself in the water before the sun sets. By the time the sun sets, you’ll be cool, calm and ready for bed.

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Read under the sun

If you’re a book lover, there’s no better way to relax than to sit down and sink into a good story. Don’t waste the daylight by sitting on the couch or tucked into bed! Instead, head outside and find a spot to read. Sit under a shady tree, in a hammock or on your front porch rocking chair while you devour a few chapters.

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Capture the moment

Make the most of the sunlight by using it to capture beautiful photographs. Take your camera while you’re on a hike, or just walk around your backyard while you snap away.

Have a seat

Don’t feel like you need to fill every moment of sunlight with something productive. Take a cup of coffee or tea outside and have a seat, even if it’s just for a few minutes. You’ll be surprised how much good the fresh air will do you.