Can you feel it in the air? Or at least the air at Target? :) Back to school season is upon us, and whether or not you're actually heading back to school this month, you can still take advantage of that fresh pencil glow. We may no longer be picking out our folders or getting our outfits ready for picture day, but this season is still a time to embrace fresh routines and get back to what matters. Here, we've switched up the classic back-to-school checklist to help you refresh for a new season!
1. Go school shopping.
Take advantage of sales to freshen up your most-used supplies. What will help you complete your daily tasks and routines efficiently and joyfully? Do you need a new, sharp pair of scissors? (Why do they always seem to go missing, anyway?!) To restock your favorite pens? A journal to keep on your counter to corral all your notes?
Take this opportunity to clean out your junk drawer and your desk drawers, throw out/give away/donate anything you no longer need or love, and organize what's left.
2. Reset your morning routine.
Routines tend to go out the window with summer
—that 6:10 wakeup for high school was brutal after the lazy days of August. Whether or not a school bell is calling your name, this is the perfect time to reimagine your
morning routine. Take time to write out what your ideal morning looks like in this new season (and
have fun with it!). By starting each morning well, you'll make it easier to accomplish the goals or tasks you set for yourself throughout the day.
Ask yourself—what do you do in the mornings that works well for you? How can you do that better or streamline the process even more? Once you've got a plan, write out your ideal routine and post it somewhere you'll see it regularly until it's a habit.
3. Resist filling up your class schedule.
Remind yourself that
you can't do it all and do it all well. Choose a few commitments that really matter to you, commit to them wholeheartedly, and say a gracious no to the rest. (Need help with that? This
podcast episode is for you!)
It's important to remember that this season may look different for you than it does for others—and that's okay! In the words of Amy Poehler, good for her, not for you.
4. Add an extracurricular or two.
Want to know which box of the
Cultivated Life Evaluation PowerSheets® users routinely score themselves lowest in? Recreation! This season, create room for the things you love. It can be as easy as lighting a fun candle, turning on the latest Spotify playlist and busting a move, or going on a walk around the neighborhood. I also love scheduling fun coffee or gym dates with friends throughout the month to look forward to.
Resist the urge to fill the extras pace with tasks, and embrace activities that bring you joy, too.
5. Pack a healthy lunch.
Whether you're heading to work each day or rummaging through the fridge at home, putting some thought into your lunch ahead of time can save you money and
time! We love
these easy and healthy ideas from Cup of Jo (so many good ideas in the comments, too!).
6. Refresh your pictures.
You may not be laying out an outfit for school photos this fall, but a new season is the perfect excuse to refresh the frames on your walls and surfaces.
I don't know about you, but getting something framed and on my walls can feel like such a huge accomplishment that once it's done, I'm liable to just leave it there for ages. But, switching out photos every so often for updated snapshots of family members or new memories can help you see them with new eyes, and bring a little joy each time you walk by.
7. Keep learning.
It's the real reason we go back to school, right? Subscribe to a
new podcast,
borrow a book from the library on a subject you'd like to know more about, take a friend out for coffee and pick her brain on something she's an expert in, or sign-up for a class to learn a new skill. The best part? You don't have to worry about getting all A's this time around :)
We love a good checklist around here. Download the FREE Back to School Checklist to help your family prepare!
We want to hear! How are you preparing for the new season ahead? Do you love back to school season? Let us know in the comments below—we'd love to chat with you!
