It’s Time to Reset

We’ve all seen that the school supply sections have made their yearly debut at the shops. School is almost in session. Now you’re probably wondering what this has to do with you. While most of us are likely not at Walmart shopping for neon highlighters and a cool new backpack for ourselves, we could all still benefit from the annual reset the start of a new school year brings.

Thinking of the start of fall as a time to refresh our minds and desks just might give us the boost of energy needed to power through the end of the calendar year. One of the reasons going back to school is so refreshing is the return to structure. For those in school that obviously means a class schedule followed by athletic or extracurricular commitments, but for adults that can take the form of a new planner, finding ways to better utilize your Google Calendar, signing up for a class on that hobby of yours, and even being more intentional about the structure of your day. If you don’t already have a daily routine, experiment with making a schedule to stick to throughout the work day. Blocking out time for certain activities in the evenings can be helpful for keeping up with commitments, hobbies, family and friends.

Find a time to clean out your desk before autumn sets in. Much like last year’s dirty and scuffed up backpack, the bottoms of our desk drawers are often neglected for far too long. Take everything out of your desk and determine what can be filed away or tossed.  Wipe down the surfaces, and then when you replace the contents take a moment to consider the ergonomics of your desk system.   Are the things you use all the time easy to reach?  Ask yourself if there is there anything that needs replacing? Is your calendar turned to the right month? What’s something missing that you often need?

A clean workspace and a fresh routine can make a world of difference on your mindset. As we head into the back-to-school season remember what it was that got you excited and motivated for the school year when you were younger – other than just football season. How else can you replicate that feeling in the coming months?