You may already be familiar with the term “hot girl summer.” If not, don’t worry, I’ve got you. Definitions vary depending on who you ask, but in simplest terms, it’s a declaration for single women to live freely and fully during the summer months. While that probably doesn’t describe my target audience, I think there’s a valuable takeaway for us, too.
Let’s call it: Introvert Leader Summer.
What would it look like to purposefully plan your summer to take full advantage of the ministry slow-down and best prepare yourself for the inevitable plunge into September’s chaos of meetings, relaunches, and social overload?
I’ve carefully curated a list for you to consider. Please note: I said consider, not complete. This isn’t a to-do list to weigh down your summer. It’s a gentle nudge toward a healthier mind, body, and soul.
1. Embrace Your Recharge Rhythm
Please. I beg you. Summer is not the time to catch up on everything you ignored all year.
If you’re like me, you have a never-ending to-do list. Cross off one thing, add three more. Rewrite it every week. You know the drill. Summer tempts us to finally “get caught up,” but that’s a trap.
The truly important stuff always gets done. So instead, focus on getting the most out of the summer.
Start small:
- Go for a walk just to enjoy God’s creation.
- Read a soul-filling book, not for leadership, but for you.
- Schedule coffee with someone who refuels you, not because of a crisis, but because it’s life-giving.
2. Reflect on the Past Ministry Season
Grab your journal and a coffee (ideally on a dock, but your porch will do). Spend some time with God and reflect:
- What drained you this year?
- Where did you feel alive in ministry?
- What patterns do you not want to repeat this fall?
- When were you most encouraged?
- Bonus: Create a “soul health” graph for the past year.
You don’t need a spiritual spreadsheet, just some honest time with the Lord.
3. Plan for Strategic Quiet Wins
When you give yourself margin to rest, ideas start popping.
That sermon series idea? That outreach plan? That volunteer overhaul? Let the creativity flow—but don’t pressure yourself to complete anything right now.
Jot it down. Let it simmer. Your job this summer isn’t production, it’s preparation.
As you begin to think about fall, plan with margin and meaning, not just logistics.
4. Rediscover Non-Productive Joy
Introverts tend to be intentional; we don’t like wasting energy. But Introvert Leader Summer invites you to enjoy Joy Without Deliverables.
For me, it’s floating down the South Saskatchewan River with my daughters. No tech, no tasks. Just us and the current. It’s three hours of nothing, and it feeds my soul.
What’s your version?
- Watercolours?
- Gardening?
- Paddleboarding?
- Reading fiction with zero ministry application?
Give yourself permission to enjoy something just because it’s good.
5. Anchor in Spiritual Formation
Let God fill the quiet.
- Practice Lectio Divina.
- Try listening prayer.
- Lay on the grass and thank God for His kindness.
- Take an extended personal retreat.
- Slowly re-read a Gospel, not to mine for sermon content, but simply to receive.
This isn’t for performance. It’s about presence.
6. Set Boundaries in Advance
You can say no, even in July.
You don’t have to go to every BBQ. If, like me, you’re speaking at camps this summer, build quiet time into your schedule. Let the camp director know. Find a time when you won’t be missed and recharge. Solitude is not selfish; it’s sustainable.
Protect your time. Give your “yes” sparingly and intentionally.
The Fall Will Come
Fall is coming and with it, the full-court press of ministry life. But don’t let that steal the slow, sacred space of your summer.
This is your one chance each year to step off the front lines for an extended time and tend your soul.
So reconnect: with your family, your God, and yourself.
Let it be your Introvert Leader Summer.
The Introverted Pastor 