Four ways to enjoy the first day of summer

Four ways to enjoy the first day of summerFour ways to enjoy the first day of summerNewsflash Its HOT outIf your weather has been anything like ours in New York City lately, you know that summer is well on its way In fact, the first day of summeris this week.As nice as it would be to have off that day, if you dont, heres how to enjoy it - even if youre not relaxing at the beach on vacation somewhere.Wear something summery to work but still be professionalCertain wardrobe pieces, like cropped pants for men and headbands for women, can make the right statement this summer. But you dont want to be that employee wearing flip-flops or super-sheer tops all day.Either way, wearing something professional that actually embraces the warmer weather is a good way to remind yourself that its summer vacation season.So departure feeling festive, and start planning something if you havent already - whether its a staycation at home or a long weekend with friends.Put a plant on your deskCertain ind oor office plants can make you feel better and clean your air - so give the peace lily, Barberton daisy or spider plant a try, among others.Youll also have something to look at and tend to, which can be a nice distraction from all the work you have to do, even though warmer temperatures are practically screaming at you to leave your desk.Its like bringing a piece of the great outdoors inside the office.Go on a walk outsideResearch has found that spending time outdoors in greenery improves how you feel about yourself more than spending time in spaces that arent naturally occurring.So take a walk before you start feeling overwhelmed, a headache hits, or another massive folder of assignments lands on your desk for the second time this week.Watching other people enjoy the summer weather outside is bound to remind you that an entire world exists outside your workplace - you just have to hurry up and finish your work so you can join them.Treat yourself to ice cream or frozen yogurt afte r workYou cant go wrong with a cool treat once business hours have come and gone. But if ice cream, frozen yogurt or Italian ice just arent cutting it for you, consider planning a happy hour with friends or coworkers in the spirit of the new season.Since the first day of summer falls on a Thursday this year, you might as well get your weekend started a little bit early.