It's back-to-school season, but let's ease into it gently shall we?

How to shift out of holiday mode and back into work mode slowly and intentionally

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Hi there, I’m Selina, if you’re new to me I’m a Career and Life Design Coach, author and podcaster. I’ve been helping people design lives and careers they love for almost two decades.

When I’m not writing here on Substack, I’m coaching clients all over the world, from my little green office in South East London. If you’re curious about what my coaching programmes could do for you, you can come and check them out over here

September is here and with it that back-to-school, fresh start energy that seems ingrained into our DNA.

It’s time to crack open our fresh new notebooks, sit back at our desks and dive into new projects with renewed enthusiasm.

But there’s a problem.

Many of us have spent the summer taking our feet off the pedal, remembering what it is to slow down and giving ourselves permission to focus on other priorities - like family, fun and enjoying the simple pleasures of summer.

We have wound down.

And so, now, we need to give ourselves a little time to wind ourselves back up again.

I’m treating these first few days of September as my warm up days. Time to set myself up, get clear on what my plan is over the next few months and establish my new routines before diving into all the exciting new projects I have planned.

So if you’ve been lucky enough to slow down over the summer and now need a little help getting yourself back into work mode and into the back-to-school buzz, here are some tips to help you do it gently and intentionally

Getting back into work-mode after a slow down summer

📎 Get your body moving

Getting your body moving and your heart pumping first thing in the morning, whether it’s a HIIT workout, gentle yoga or a brisk walk, is one of the best things you can do to get yourself feeling fired up and motivated. Do it to your favourite uplifting soundtrack for extra points (and extra buzz)

📎 Set up your space

Take a step back and assess your working space. Is this how you want it? Does it need a declutter? A better chair? A design refresh? Decluttering and arranging your work space can be a great way to physically and psychologically get ready for a new work chapter.

📎 Design a working day that will help you to thrive

Now is a perfect time to have a think about how you want to design your working day so that you get to thrive at work. What are the daily habits and rituals that have worked for you in the past? Are there any new ones you want to try? In Burnt Out I have a whole chapter on this, suggesting simple ways you can structure and design your day so that you get to remain grounded, calm and energised throughout the day, no matter how hectic work gets.

📎 Get plotting and planning

What do you want to make happen in these final 4 months of 2024? What is the focus and the main goals. Using a calendar, plot and plan things out so that you can see a clear road map forming in front of you.

📎 Start with some quick wins or bold steps

If you’re sinking your teeth into some new projects or embarking on making some big changes, then it can be a good idea to really get the ball rolling with some quick wins and bold moves. Send that email that you know is important, but makes you nervous, buy that website URL, book in that discovery call with your favourite Career and Life Design Coach 😉

📎 Dress the part

If you work from home and have spent the summer working in holiday clothes, getting yourself ‘dressed up’ for work can be a great way to get yourself feeling motivated and channeling the kind of energy you want to bring to your work

📎 Write a list of the things you want to continue to enjoy doing in these last few weeks of summer

Summer is not, I repeat NOT over yet. It is officially summer until the 22nd September, so if you love the summer, what summer activities can you make sure you make time for between now and the 22nd? Just because the collective focus has gone back to work, it doesn’t mean you should stop making time for the simple summer pleasures that brought you joy over the past few months.

And finally, if you are prone to post-summer blues, don’t you worry - I have a ‘Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn’ journaling exercise that has cured me (and many others) of post-summer blues over the past few years…look out for it over the next couple of weeks!

x Selina