Summertime is well-known to be a complicated time for many of us. While many in Australia are lucky to have our summer coincide with end of year celebrations, for others, it can be a period of disruption and potential triggers for habits we wish to avoid.
Research across multiple disciplines has shown mental and physical health benefits to maintaining healthy habits when our typical routine is disrupted. This includes seeing or visiting loved ones, work hours being altered, or increased obligations for social events coming into the new year.
At the Matilda Centre, we’re doing our best to implement this research into our own lives. We’re only human, and across the 140+ of us working at the Centre, there are many ways we plan to maintain our healthy habits across the summer, end-of-year celebrations and activities.
To celebrate the end of 2025 and the upcoming summer season, we’ve asked the Matilda Centre to share their favourite healthy habits they’ll be implementing this summer season in Sydney.
Learning to Surf
For those of us lucky to live near an ocean, summer is a great time to get a wetsuit on and catch a wave. Learning to surf is a past time that can help you get out in nature, connect with your mind, and find a community.
For Research Administration Officer and Youth Advisory Board Coordinator Tasma Hunt, surfing feels like a metaphor of the natural ups and downs that come with life.
“Whether waiting patiently for a set, diving under a big wave to let it pass over you, or finally catching a fun one and popping up, life is really all about just being patient and riding the highs and the lows! Added bonus: there's no scrolling on reels while in the ocean. I definitely recommend starting with some lessons, especially when you're learning a bit later on in life and are generally uncoordinated like me.”
Are you further out west but still looking for a chance to swim in summer? Check out Penrith Beach for their summer Learn to Swim lessons or break out a paddleboard!
Nature Walks
For those who are less water-inclined but still want to get the heart pumping across the summer season, nature walks are a great way for you, your family and loved ones to get out and about. Research has shown getting out into nature is linked to more robust mental health, and is an easy, free option for many living in and around Sydney.
Some hikes Matilda Centre members recommend include the Malabar Headland walking track, the Cape Banks Walking Track, Wolli Creek Walking Track, the Bouddi Coastal Walk, and for those looking for a longer hike, the Royal Coast Track.
For Research Assistant Annabel Hughes, adventure doesn’t always mean going fast, sometimes it’s finding peace and quiet close to home.
As always when engaging on a walk or hike in summer – please ensure you check National Parks NSW for closures, check the weather forecast, be sun-safe, and have appropriate emergency first aid kits where appropriate.
Golf
If you’re looking for a shorter walk or needing to let off a bit of steam with a beautiful view, there are several golf courses across Sydney where you can exercise, meet up with loved ones, and hit some balls.
For Senior Research Administration Officer Jasmin Bartlett, being around golf doesn’t mean you need to specifically play.
“You can walk the courses for free if you’re not into golf as they’re public spaces. Just watch out for stray golf balls!”
For those who are looking for the golf experience without the walking commitment, there are several driving ranges, and mini golf locations across Sydney.
Reading a book
If you’re looking for a slightly less active way to incorporate healthy habits into your routine, getting stuck into a good book can be a great source of relaxation or knowledge gaining.
For Research Administration Officer Georgie Adamson, using the time to get through part of her to-read list brings a sense of joy that also helps get through the heat.
“I feel like a big, fat book can feel a bit overwhelming when you’re busy, but when you’re off work you have all this extra time to get stuck in.”
For those who prefer a non-physical copy of a book, audiobooks are available for many books and are free in most Sydney libraries!
Making and baking
Australian summers provide a new series of in-season fresh fruit, giving many opportunities to try new recipes as part of our end-of-year celebrations. Additionally, fresh fruit and vegetables are full of nutritional benefits and can be extremely fun to experiment with, especially with children!
For Research Assistant Annabel Hughes, summer is a time for testing new fruit salad combinations.
“Fruit salad is perfect in any way, shape or form, but this one with a little honey and a squeeze of lime is sunshine in a bowl!”
Gardening
You don’t need to have two green thumbs to benefit from gardening, and in Sydney, even having a balcony (or a sunny window!) can be enough to get some gardening done.
For Research Assistant Sophia Spallek, getting dirt on her hands makes her feel like a kid again.
“For so many reasons I love rummaging around with the plants on my balcony. There is no use being perfect or precise about it. To me, the best gardening is the messiest!
“Gardening is cyclical like the seasons. If a plant dies, then I have learned something about what nature needs to thrive next time. The dead plant will continue to enrich the garden by fertilising the soil... and I have room for new plant!”
A huge thank you to Annabel Hughes, Tasma Hunt, Sophia Spallek, Georgie Adamson, and Jasmin Bartlett for their submissions to this article!