Living by the Seasons: A Stoic’s Guide to Modern Life
“Observe always that everything is the result of change, and get used to thinking that there is nothing Nature loves so well as to change existing forms and to make new ones like them.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
We live in a world obsessed with optimization. There’s no shortage of advice out there about the perfect morning routine, the ideal diet, or the ultimate productivity hack. But one thing most of this advice seems to ignore is something ancient, something obvious: the seasons.
I live in Boston, where the difference between summer and winter isn’t just noticeable — it’s dramatic. Freezing winds and early sunsets give way to sweltering humidity and sixteen-hour days. Over time, I’ve realized that trying to keep a rigid, uniform daily routine across such extremes just doesn’t make sense.
Inspired by Stoic philosophy — especially Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations — I’ve been trying to live more “in accordance with nature.” That means letting the seasons guide my habits, not fighting them. It also means paying closer attention to how my energy, mood, diet, and goals shift throughout the year.
This isn’t about going off the grid or becoming a hermit. I’m a software developer and most of my work still happens in front of a screen inside of my apartment. But this mindset shift has made me more productive, healthier, and, frankly, more at peace.
Below, I’ll walk through how I approach each season — what I eat, how I move, when I rest, and what I focus on. Whether you’re a developer, a creative, or just someone trying to live more intentionally, I hope this gives you a useful lens for structuring your year.
The Problem with Perpetual Productivity
One reason many people don’t adjust their routines seasonally is that modern life isn’t built around nature — it’s built around quarters. Corporate calendars, fiscal goals, and year-end reports all ignore the reality that humans, like all animals, move in rhythms.
If you’re in tech or work remotely, this gets even trickier. Your coworkers may be spread across multiple time zones and climates, so nobody’s really operating in sync with anyone — let alone nature.
But seasonal living doesn’t have to be incompatible with professional life. In fact, it can make you a more sustainable worker. You can still hit your deadlines — but you do it with more self-awareness, and fewer burnout cycles.
The Seasons and the Relativity of Time
One of the most profound things I’ve come to notice is how time itself seems to stretch and compress across the seasons.
In summer, the days are long — not just in hours, but in feeling. You wake up early, go outside, do your work, swim, cook dinner, and there’s still light left over. Summer feels expansive. It invites growth, ambition, exploration. You literally have more time — more sunlit hours — but also perceived time. It’s like gravity shifts, and everything moves a little slower and wider.
In winter, the opposite happens. Time contracts. Your days start late and end early. It feels like there’s never enough daylight to get everything done. You’re under pressure to compress your activities, to make decisions quickly, to be more deliberate with how you spend your hours. You can feel it in your bones. The season demands it.
Then you have spring and fall — the equinoxes. These are your moments of balance, when day and night are (almost) equal. For me, these are the most productive times of the year. There’s a natural sense of harmony during these times. Your body and mind tend to feel more regulated, most clear-headed. If winter is the contraction and summer is the expansion, spring and fall are the points of equilibrium — the fulcrum of the year.
This rhythm isn’t just poetic — it’s practical. Once you start observing time this way, you stop expecting yourself to operate at peak summer pace in the middle of January. You don’t beat yourself up for feeling tired in the winter, or restless in the spring.
You just move with it.
❄️ Winter: The Compressed Season
In Boston, winter is no joke — bitter cold, short days, and long nights. My energy is lower. My mood tends to dip. And I’ve learned not to fight it.
Instead, I embrace winter as a time to rest and rebuild.
What changes:
- Food: More slow-cooked, hearty meals. Bone broth, stews, potatoes, root vegetables. Winter is my bulking season — higher calorie intake, more starch, more protein.
- Fitness: Less outdoor time, more gym sessions and hot yoga, which helps counteract stiffness and low circulation. Sauna use becomes a priority and something I look forward to.
- Mood: I use a red light panel in the morning to simulate sunrise and combat seasonal depression. It’s a simple tool that makes a big difference and I highly recommend it.
- Work: With less daylight, I compress my work hours and try not to stretch the day too far past sunset. Winter is a focused season — no wasted motion.
And above all, I give myself permission to slow down. You don’t have to match summer energy in January.
🌱 Spring: Awakening
There’s something magical about spring in New England — the daffodils breaking through, the sun returning. This is when I start to feel truly alive again. It’s also my favorite season.
What changes:
- Mindset: Spring is the real New Year in my book. I set new goals, restart habits, and lean into the fresh energy of the season.
- Food: Lighter meals start to come back. More greens, more fish. I usually begin intermittent fasting during this time — typically a noon–8pm window.
- Routines: I start setting my alarm to wake up with the sunrise, and that shift feels natural. It’s very easy to do coming out of winter and helps me prepare for the longer days ahead.
Spring mirrors fall in many ways — they’re both transitional seasons — but spring has that optimistic edge. The momentum you build now sets the tone for the summer ahead and the rest of the year.
☀️ Summer: Expansion
Summer is the lightest, most energetic season. But it’s also an extreme — and extremes need to be managed. When I was younger, I tried to push through the endless light and high temps. Now I know better.
What changes:
- Sleep: I wake up earlier — often logging in to work by 8 a.m. — and take midday naps or rest breaks after lunch. It’s my own version of a Mediterranean siesta.
- Food: Lots of raw vegetables, salads, cold noodles. No more stews. I eat lighter and more frequently, expanding a few hours of my fasting window on the early end of the day.
- Movement: Summer is prime time for diving. I try to get in the water every weekend if the weather allows. Not only is it refreshing — the cold shock helps regulate mood and energy.
- Cooling rituals: Just like I lean into heat in winter, I lean into cold in summer — cold showers, ocean swims, and airflow throughout the home.
Summer is for the outdoors. If you’re in a northern climate and not taking advantage of it, you’re missing out on the best your environment has to offer.
🍂 Fall: Reflection and Preparation
Fall is the mirror of spring. It’s harvest time — literally and metaphorically. It’s a time to take stock, finish strong, and prepare for the winter ahead.
What changes:
- Mindset: Fall is reflective. I look back on my goals from spring and assess what worked. It’s important to feel proud of what you’ve accomplished — and to be kind to yourself if you haven’t done it all.
- Food: I start to bulk up again — more protein, more volume. I also preserve food where I can. If I’ve gone scalloping in the summer, this is when I pack the freezer.
- Work: Corporate culture often ramps up hard toward year-end. That can clash with fall’s natural slowing. So I try to set boundaries and avoid unnecessary overextension.
I don’t yet have a formal emotional or journaling practice for fall — but it’s something I’m thinking about adding this year.
Final Thoughts: Rhythm Over Rigidity
This way of living isn’t about being perfect. I still have deadlines, I still drink coffee, and I still spend too much time in front of a screen.
But by aligning even part of my lifestyle with the seasons — from what I eat, to how I sleep, to when I push or rest — I’ve found something deeper than productivity. I’ve found a rhythm and it’s one that doesn’t burn me out.
If you’re curious to explore this further, I’d recommend reading:
Thanks for reading. If you’ve ever felt like your routines don’t quite “fit” year-round, maybe the seasons are trying to tell you something. Listen to them.
Even if you start small — a cold shower in July, a slow-cooked stew in January — it’s a step toward living more in sync with the world around you.