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The lazy hazy days of summer may feel like a distant memory as September shifts our energy back to business and forward to new adventures.
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September → publish → adventures
It's the month when many of us embark on a new chapter, whether it's university, college or a new job or simply getting back to work and the school run.
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it → embark → work
Instead of strict rules and major life overhauls, creators are sharing small changes aimed at finishing the year strong.
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creators → share → year
"It's getting ahead of the game," says Cami Sophia, 24, who has shared her new rituals on TikTok.
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who → get → TikTok
Here's why September could be the right time for a reset and how to create a new routine that lasts.
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that → create → routine
For Cami, a content creator and podcast host from Northampton, September spells the end of summer spontaneity and a time to restore order.
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September → spell → order
"If you've been away for the summer you've probably not had a massive routine," she says.
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she → have → routine
"And if you're a parent, then you've got kids at home and it's just a bit more chaotic," she says.
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she → get → home
September feels like "back to school...getting back into your own rhythm", she adds.
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she → feel → rhythm
It is the perfect time to "get everything sorted", she says "So when you get to January you're not trying to do everything at once.
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you → get → everything
For Bas Verplanken, professor emeritus of social psychology at the University of Bath, September is a chance to "reorient yourself".
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September → reorient → yourself
He says his research suggests people who experienced a big change such as moving house "were more responsive to an intervention aimed at promoting sustainable behaviours" than comparable people who had not moved house.
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who → say → house
"It's really an exciting way of looking at disruption," he told Chris and Xand van Tulleken on their What's Up Docs? podcast.
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What → look → podcast
If your daily commute or school run works for you then relax back into them.
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commute → work → them
"But if there are alternative ways of doing things, explore it, this is the time to do it, and to make those changes," says Verplanken.
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Verplanken → be → changes
What will you reset?
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you → reset → What
TikTok is awash with videos on how to "lock in" starting small - declutter your room, clear out your wardrobe, go for a walk, start a new book.
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TikTok → lock → book
But Cami warns against videos showing spreadsheets of radical changes.
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Cami → warn → changes
"It's very easy to look at all of these things and what you should apparently be doing and get really overwhelmed," she says.
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she → look → what
Cami starts her own reset by "looking at the goals I set at the start of the year and see what I actually still want to do - and then what I need to do to get from A to B".
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I → start → B
Then she recommends picking three small "non-negotiables".
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she → recommend → negotiables
"They could be to have fruit with your breakfast, have veg with dinner and have a glass of water before you drink coffee," she says.
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she → have → coffee
She advises small changes that require little effort - she is getting back into sleep patterns by setting alarms.
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she → advise → alarms
The secret to sticking to it
Cami says planning is key - something she does on a Sunday morning.
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she → stick → morning
"I go, okay, these are my meals for the week.
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these → go → week
Even plan your outfits for the work day if you really want to because it saves you time," she says.
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she → plan → time
Then she takes steps to "limit the choices" she has to stray from her routine.
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she → take → routine
"I will meal prep three days worth of overnight oats.
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I → prep → oats
Naturally, I'm going to grab those in the morning because they are made and ready.
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they → go → morning
I've removed the friction of grabbing a quick meal or not having any breakfast."
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I → remove → breakfast
Verplanken agrees the secret to making new habits that last is setting yourself up so that your new behaviours are the easiest option for reaching your goal.
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behaviours → agree → goal
He advises designing a routine where your habits can become "effortless".
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habits → advise → routine
"They are specific plans of where, when, and what you will do," he says.
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he → say → what
"Let's say, losing weight, you can think when I go to the supermarket, I'm going to look specifically each time [at] the fat and sugar content [of food].
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I → let → food
This means making the right choices when are facing the food shelf happen automatically "because you have already planned the situation in which you have to act".
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you → mean → which
If this is done frequently, Verplanken says it becomes "extremely effective" to turn these habits into your routine.
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it → do → routine
