Kick-start the Fall Season with 6 Easy Tips and welcome another season of opportunities!
I hope you’ve had the moment to rest, relax and enjoy this summer, as the fall season is always a wonderful time to innovate and create. Some people even consider it “the true new year”, as for many, it’s often a more meaningful new beginning than January.
In this post, I would like to plant some seeds around how to kick-start the fall season successfully, with maximum effectiveness and minimum stress, with just 6 easy tips.
Let’s start by being honest…
The end of summer and vacation time is daunting for many.
Whether or not you have had the chance to get away, summertime usually represents a more easy-going, festive season where even the most hard-working may find themselves feeling “less serious”.
Not to mention, that this period often coincides with a loss of motivation and as a result, productivity, driven by the body’s natural calling to slow down and recover from the demands of the first intense months of the year.
So we let ourselves disconnect only to come to September, intimidated by the myriad of personal and professional demands and preparations for the year’s last trimester.
But it’s ok. And it will be ok. More so, it can be triumphant.
So, here’s how we Kick-start the Fall Season…
1. Take a BREATH and take it ONE STEP at a time…
Try not to “create a story” around how hard, complicated or tiring it is to be back to work or school.
It may be challenging, but many things may surprise you and go easier than you think. The others, once you are there, you will assume and manage as you go along.
But if you build up a story of anticipated anxiety around what it could, should, or has been like for you in the past, you will only stress yourself more. And in bracing against the challenges you anticipate, you may worsen or even create them.
Just remember: some things will go well and others will be harder. But whatever comes, you are prepared to handle it and you will.
Then, celebrate your triumph afterwards!
And for added reflection on your feelings of overwhelm, check out our NEVBlog: “You’re SO BUSY! But what if you didn’t need to be?”.
2. Trust and lean on your newfound Energy and Objectivity
The one advantage of your current “summer” state of mind is that you are likely more objective and energized than before.
Your time away, and even small momentary diversions and relaxations, have afforded you a clearer perspective on where you are, what you want, and how to get there.
Even if you never actually thought about it. Yet most of us do find greater insight during times of disconnect.
Research shows that our brains very much continue to process, innovate, and heal during moments of rest. Precisely because we are not focusing so hard on the things we want and need to do.
And are therefore allowing our subconscious and unconscious minds to run on a freer, more expansive level. Which absolutely benefits our conscious thinking, planning and creation.
Take advantage of that before you get caught up in the trenches again. It can greatly help you avoid your usual stresses and pitfalls and set you up more efficient and effective flow and results.
3. Power up your Strategizing…and Prioritizing…yet again…
Your newfound objectivity – again it’s there, even if you’re not aware of it – gives you the perfect vantage point to review the key areas of your personal and professional life and revise your approach to each one.
Give them some thought and whenever possible, write down your ideas to better clarify and deepen what’s TRULY important.
Here are some KEY questions to consider:
- What is most important right now?
- What is truly your priority, whether you like it or not, and depends largely on you?
- Besides what is important, look at also what is urgent and other things we call “mosquitos” – neither important nor urgent but once you get them out of the way, will free up your mind and energy for the rest.
- What is the most best use of your time, personally and professionally?
- Many things take up time, but don’t actually yield results or benefits.
- Look to where YOU can make the most important, positive, and powerful impact and orient yourself accordingly.
- What do you want to adjust, clean up, or simply get rid of?
- As the previous, some things may be important, but can be delegated.
- Others are a habit but no longer relevant. Be strict!
- What difficulties might you be perpetuating by holding on to a story of how they are necessary, unchangeable, or someone else’s fault?
- It may be hard to see or accept but in many of our difficulties, we hold at least some responsibility.
- Even just in choosing to keep accepting them and not insisting on finding solutions.
- It is not about blame, just making your life easier, by looking for internal and external ways to alleviate that stress.
- Where do you want to be by year-end?
- Take away “where you should be”.
- And center on “where you want to be” by the end of 2024.
- Then identify only the most important things that will guide your focus for the rest of the year – for your professional but also your personal wellbeing.
- What do you want to start next year?
- If you can clarify and visualize what you want for next year, it can greatly help you organize your priorities for the last months to come.
- Simply writing down some ideas and next steps for how to start getting there, can help prepare you and take off pressure. Because you’re already doing something about it!
4. Organize and Plan it for REAL (hard copy paper or digital)…
Once you have clarified your true personal and professional priorities and the key factors and challenges for each, you can begin to structure your action plan.
The achievement of objectives is not rocket science. Just a question of designing and following organization techniques that truly complement your style of working.
This, and finding incentives to keep you on track while giving yourself the necessary breaks to maintain your focus and productivity.
Here are some helpful tools to keep you accountable, efficient and effective (hardcopy or digital – your choice):
- Notebook:
- Have one place that you carry with you always, to write down everything and anything that comes up.
- This can include ideas, appointments, shopping lists, journal entries, business notes, etc.
- Some prefer to have separate tools or areas for different categories so feel free to design them to your taste and ease.
- The most important thing is to write things down, because this has been proven to greatly help with organization, clearing the mind, advancing ideas and reducing everyday stress.
- To-Do Lists:
- Have a CORE list that encompasses everything for the season, and then separate ones as you need to get into the detail of each area. They may overlap and that’s ok, just write out the initial version and then update them only as you need for your own clarity.
- Organize them in whatever way makes sense to you (By category, timeframe, using colors, emoticons, etc.).
- And then ensure completion through accountability measures (like focusing on 3 core priorities a week, reminders, connecting with a coach or a friend, etc.).
- Calendars:
- They can be hard copy, on your computer, on your phone, posted on your wall, color coded, whatever helps you track your daily responsibilities and the overall timeline of your objectives.
- Just make sure they are easily synchronized to minimize repetitive work (most handhelds sync with a computer which can later be printed).
- And don’t hesitate to post any and all accomplishments, even “hopeful” deadlines for your own projects. But also “hard” deadlines by which you ABSOLUTELY need to have something done. This will allow you flexibility with your other life obligations and can help you engage in times of flow, instead of just pressure.
5. Connect and Share the season…
As we already know, we are not the only ones going through this adjustment.
But we are also all considering what is important and who we need and want to be a part of that.
So reach out, directly, and openly, to both your personal and professional contacts. Make official and informal appointments to check in, review objectives, share updates and openly explore ways to help each other.
Take advantage positively of each other’s refreshed perspectives and newfound opportunities ~ you never know what will come up.
There need not be an objective – even a simple coffee or lunch can do wonders, perhaps even more so than structured meetings with a prescribed agenda.
Remember that connecting is how great things happen, and better yet when it’s authentic and natural.
6. Treat Yourself and Enjoy…
Summer and vacation time may be over, but enjoying your life is always a right and even a priority.
Just because you have to go back to work, family obligations and certain adjustments does not mean forgetting to take good care of yourself, making time for stillness, your loved ones, and your joys, and enjoying the simple gifts we are given every day.
Try not to rush when you don’t have to.
Find time for a simple coffee or meal by yourself or with others, daily. Hugs and kisses with Loved Ones. Quality SELF-CARE.
Plan your weekends and days/moments off with as much enthusiasm and hope as ever.
We have one precious life to live, so we might as well do it intentionally.
To your success!
