Rethink routines and goals with a back-to-school mindset

As we enter the last hurrah of summer, many kids and their families are preparing for the start of a new academic year — gathering school supplies, finishing that summer reading list and planning for new routines.

But back-to-school season isn’t just for kids. The transition from summer to fall is the ideal time for adults to reset, refresh and refocus.

Lauren Baker, MS, LMHC, a mental health therapist with the MultiCare Behavioral Health Network, shares tips on how you can harness that back-to-school energy by setting or revisiting goals and evaluating your habits and routines.

Embrace a back-to-school mindset through goal setting

The waning of summer is more than a seasonal shift — it marks a natural turning point in our lives when we can set new goals for ourselves or evaluate progress on existing goals. Here’s how to get started.

Identify your objective, then set a goal

To set a new goal, first identify an area of your life that you want to improve — this is your objective. Then consider goals that will help you achieve that objective.

Your goals should be:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Clear
• Achievable yet slightly challenging

For example, let’s say your objective is to improve your physical health. A goal that meets these criteria could be: Go to the gym three times a week for the next three months.

Track your progress toward your goal

Tracking progress toward your goal can support accountability, and there are many tools available to help you do this, from do-it-yourself charts to free and printable ready-made templates. Put the chart in a place where you’ll see it frequently to keep yourself motivated.

If you’d rather harness technology to track your progress, Baker says the following apps may be useful:

• Notion
• Habit Tracker
• Strides
• Goal Tracker & Routine Planner

Sometimes you need more than a goal-tracking document or tool to stay on track. If that’s you, consider an accountability buddy.

“An accountability buddy is someone you regularly check in with about your goal,” Baker says. “It could be someone who’s working toward the same goal as you or just someone who’s willing to help monitor your progress. Anyone can be an accountability buddy, but you may be best served by choosing someone who’s dependable, nonjudgemental and can offer positive reinforcement.”

Is it time to revamp your routine?

If you’re setting goals for yourself, you may find that you need to adjust certain habits or routines to achieve those goals. But even if you aren’t working toward a specific goal, summer’s end is a perfect opportunity to reflect on how your habits and routines influence your health, well-being and relationships.

You can do this on your own through an activity like journaling, or you could solicit feedback from others, such as a therapist, friends or family members, about what they notice.

Is it time to start a new routine or let go of a habit that’s holding you back? Here are a few areas of life where you may want to consider making changes:

• Physical health. How much do you exercise? Do your food choices fuel your body and support your health? Do you get enough sleep? Would it be beneficial to eliminate or cut back on substances, such as alcohol or caffeine? Do you get regular health screenings and checkups?
• Emotional, mental & spiritual health. How much time do you spend on electronic devices or social media? How do you cope with stress? Do you prioritize self-care, and are your self-care activities restorative? Do you make time for activities that bring you joy and cultivate social connection? How much time do you spend in nature? Do you regularly express gratitude to others?

Tips to help you sustain new routines or reach your goals

Establishing a new routine or working toward a goal takes time and commitment. Here are some tips to support your success.

Consider barriers in advance

You’re likely to encounter challenges as you journey toward your goal or establish a new routine. These may include waning motivation, increasing time constraints or unexpected financial issues, among others.

Anticipating what your particular barriers are likely to be, and then devising a plan to address them ahead of time, can support your resilience.

Set boundaries

After you identify potential barriers, you may find that you need to set boundaries with yourself or others to overcome them.

For example, let’s say your new routine is to cut off screen time at 8pm, but a challenge is that you receive a lot of evening messages from certain friends. You could:

• Set a boundary with yourself by turning off message notifications in the evening
• Set a boundary with others by asking those friends not to text you past 8pm

Review and adjust routines/goals as needed

A common mistake people make is setting goals or starting new routines that aren’t realistic or don’t really align with their overarching objective. That’s why it’s important to regularly check in with yourself about goals and routines and make adjustments as necessary.

“If you’re consistently missing a target, consider what changes need to be made so the goal or routine is doable,” Baker says. “Could you adjust your timeline or the frequency you’re doing the activity? Do you need more support, or should you come up with a new target entirely? Our circumstances and priorities change, and it’s OK for our goals and routines to evolve with them.”

Use mental flexibility when setbacks occur

Try as we might, sometimes we fail — and in these moments it can be tempting to berate ourselves or abandon a goal or routine completely. Instead, practice kindness and mental flexibility.

“Mental flexibility is the ability to change the way you’re thinking about something,” Baker says. “Consider what unhelpful thought patterns may be contributing to your setback and how you might adjust them — and remember you’re allowed to make a mistake. Mental flexibility gives you the space to recover, shift your perspective as needed and continue on your way.”