Kids love summer, but so should we as adults.

Why? Because many businesses slow down this time of year, the days are longer, people take vacations, we tend to spend more time with our families, and we are able to enjoy the great outdoors more than usual.

A recent article by Anita Campbell, founder of Small Business Trends, advises four ways we can savor summer in a fresh and creative way.

1. Try taking a class, but maybe NOT in a subject area that is close to your business or work life.

2. Spend more time outdoors, reveling in nature.

3. Take advantage of longer days by getting up an hour earlier to allow some extra time for free thinking.

4. Use vacation time to really free up your mind and patterns. Unplug from mobile devices and the computer screen!

And here is one of my own favorites: Spend more time with family and friends. Beach- or lake-front walks, getting together for Happy Hour, potluck dinners, or catching a summer movie matinee are great (and inexpensive) ways to reconnect, and get the conversation rolling!

Have you told your family and friends how much they mean to you today? Shouldn’t you?