The dog days of summer have come to an end, and it’s time revamp your fall routine. If you had a lazy summer, that’s perfectly acceptable. You need time to rest and recharge. That’s what the longer days and endless sunshine are for.

Outside of the U.S., many small towns and cities abroad even shut down for the summer holiday. Power to them! 

While the restful and sleepy days of summer have come and gone, it’s time to hit refresh for the fall. Revitalizing your routine will not only help you reset, but it will help you avoid burnout in Q4. As fall turns into the holiday season, the months quickly become busy and full of errands and to-do lists to check off. Hitting a mental reset now will help you enter into this new season refreshed and ready to go.

Revisit Yearly Goals and Create New Quarterly Goals

To get a head start on boosting your productivity for the fall, it’s important to revisit your goals that you set for the year. Dust off those New Year’s resolutions and see which you have crossed off completely, which you have made progress on, and which you haven’t started chipping away at yet. Don’t feel guilty for what you have not accomplished.

Now take those yearly goals, and use them to inform goals for the fall and winter. Technically, fall lasts late September through late December, based on the autumnal equinox and winter solstice. Using this shorter three-month time frame allows you to create bitesize goals that are easier to work at.

Perhaps, your goal is to save a certain amount by the end of the year or to pay off debt. You can use the last quarter of the year, and break that goal into setting aside a certain amount each week.

Adjust to the Time Change

The busy fall season is also marked by less sunshine. So optimize the daylight hours while you can. As the calendar etches closer to the time to “fall back,” move your bedtime up earlier. This will help you adjust and avoid a harsh time switch and you losing sleep.

Also, if you can, move work meetings to later in the day during the week of the time change. This will help you and your team get better adjusted to the time change. The worst thing would be to have an 8:00 a.m. meeting the Monday after losing an hour of sleep. 

Plan a ‘Fall Deep Clean’

Just like a spring clean, reorganizing and cleaning your work and home space is critical for the fall. This will boost your productivity and mental clarity. A clean space equals a clear mind.

Sort through your work desk. Toss any trash or old documents. You might even purchase a desk organizer, new folders, and a little decor to spruce up your desk for the new season.

Do the same thing with your home. Reorganize your space and give it a deep clean as you approach the new season. This will reinvigorate your mind and help you transition seamlessly into fall.

Prioritize Activities That Energize You 

Fall is a busy season. It’s back to school season, and work tends to ramp up for the last quarter of the year. There are holidays and get-togethers to plan for too. With all the things that will inevitably fill your plate, it’s important to prioritize your mental wellness. If you want to boost your productivity this fall, burning your candle from both ends is not the solution.

Prioritize activities like physical activity and getting outside. Make time for weekly or bi-montly therapy sessions. Practice self-care with a monthly facial or massage. Spend quality time with friends who energize you, or start your day by journaling your thoughts.

Reset Your Workout Routine

The days are shorter, and it can be tempting in fall to begin letting your workout routine slip. Avoid missing exercise because it’s actually benefiting your mental health and preventing that Q4 burnout. Instead, adjust your workout to follow the rhythms of the sun. 

Maybe that means moving your workout to earlier in the morning or to the afternoon during your lunch break. Grab a buddy to keep you accountable, layer up, and prepare to break a sweat all season.