September calls for change and good habits, the opportunity to start a personal routine to get back into the swing of things – with a focus on your well-being.
September is a bit like January – but less depressing. It’s a month to review the past and coming months, with a few more rays of sunshine and a tanned complexion from our holidays by the sea. This year, there’s one thing we want to do, take care of ourselves, give ourselves more time off and boost our confidence. We’ve given you 15 little habits to adopt or strategies to implement to achieve this.
Set small but specific goals
Back-to-school time is often synonymous with new projects. Even if it’s been a long time since we left school, and we’re celebrating our umpteenth year in the same company, the return from vacation is the ideal opportunity to take stock of what we’d like to do/see/experience in the months to come. There’s no need to aim for the moon, and it’s better to list small achievable things that will still help you progress. For example: redo your CV to change jobs finally.
Take time for yourself
By cramming your evenings and weekends with all kinds of plans, you have very few projects for yourself. Dedicate time to your well-being only, according to your tastes. It could be a massage, a treatment, an exhibition, two hours hanging out in your pajamas in front of Netflix, or a walk in the woods; in other words, a few moments that belong to you and during which you cut yourself off from the outside world.
Invest in notebooks
It’s a symbolic step that you’re moving on to a new professional year, and the old one is well and truly behind you. We prefer the classic diary, which helps us better visualize what the coming weeks will be off – and also reduce the mental load by putting our obligations on paper. But if Google Calendar is your ally, you can always opt for some nice pens.
Change your morning routine slightly...
Are the mornings hard? You’re a pro at snoozing, that frustrating practice of putting off your alarm clock by 5 minutes ten times until you’re rushing in the shower? How we sympathize. Only mornings are essential to the excellent progress of the day. And by getting out of bed even 15 to 20 minutes earlier, you’ll probably avoid the stress that will follow you into the evening. Meditate, eat, read… There are many ways to get off to a good start.
...and at night too
The vicious circle: the later you stay up, the less you’re up for the next day. And the less alert you are in the morning, the more you tend to wake up later. The key: rebalance your day by going to bed before midnight. You’ll forget what the word “snooze” means a few restful sleeps later.
Stop skipping breakfast
First of all, because eating is life, and also because taking the time to wake up before going to work allows you to face your day more serenely – and to avoid the 11 o’clock Twix. If you’re not the type to be hungry in the morning, opt for tea and fruit or yogurt, light things that will quickly reconcile you to the daily ritual.
Read a book
It’s no secret that social networks and technology have slowly killed our passion for physical books. In the subway, at lunchtime, or when we wake up, our first reflex will likely be to turn on our phone rather than open a novel. However, the absence of a screen and the personal reading rhythm have undeniable virtues. In particular, it allows us to escape for a few moments into the confines of our imagination.
(Re)learn how to cook
You’ve been talking about it for ages – often between bites of bun ordered online – it’s time to move from theory to practice. Start a weekly evening of testing new recipes, then make it a habit. Live alone? Bring the rest of your experimental dishes to the office the next day. It’ll save you money on weekend brunches.
Start a physical activity
We’re not talking about starting a high-profile career but about exercising enough to make your body feel the change – and your head too. If you’ve been paying for your gym membership for ten months without ever setting foot there, it’s time to get back on the elliptical, try the TAB (thigh-abs-buttock) classes, or even cancel your membership once and for all. Aim for gentle goals such as a 30-minute walk 3-5 times a week or two bike rides to work. You’ll see, and you’ll quickly get hooked.
Throw away lists that have been lying around for too long
You’re the kind of person who collects lists (you’re reading this one) that get longer and longer and become a daily pressure. Instead of focusing on the great things you have left to do, you see them as proof that you’ll never achieve your goals. It’s time to take a break – and sort it out. Delete, throw away, shred the endless “to-dos” that you know you won’t get to, and start over by writing down only small to-dos that will make you happy.
Take a look at your budget
No one likes to talk about it, but back to school is the perfect time to review your budget. It’s an opportunity to put more aside, evaluate what could be better managed, and carry out real projects rather than blowing it all on trivia. You’ll have more peace of mind – and so will your banker.
Get out of the social media
Not necessarily to read as advised above, but also to get out of the trap you can sometimes fall into with the impeccable pictures of those you follow. Social media is often a source of frustration and comparison, and slowing down the pace of digital consumption can only do us good. Or at least appreciate our reality.
Sort out your wardrobe
You spend all your time saying you have nothing to wear, yet your wardrobe is almost bursting at the seams with your clothes. Classic. The solution: take a few hours to clear everything out and keep what you like. The rest, sell, drop in a vintage shop or give away. You’ll probably rediscover wonders, combinations of outfits you’d never thought of, and feel lighter for finally getting rid of the extra.
Plan your next vacation
Because going back to work is good, but knowing when you’re leaving is better. Plan a weekend or more on the road to get some motivation outside the professional world—a well-deserved break after all those back-to-school resolutions.