Back to School: An Ideal Time to Assess Your Routine

Over the coming month, students return to school and bid farewell to summer. This means getting up earlier, preparing lunches and doing homework. It is a season of beginnings and new experiences, for the students and teachers that lead them. The same can be said for business leaders. Now is a great time to reflect on priorities and consider ways to increase fulfillment on a daily basis.

If you enjoyed summertime as much as your children did, you may want to take a page from their book (pun intended) and shake up your routine as the school year gets underway. Aside from New Year’s Day, I find that many of my clients look at back to school as a great time to try new things. Follow these steps to consider what might be possible for you:

Consider one thing that would enhance your daily wellbeing.

This could be a morning walk, a podcast on leadership or a defined end time for the work day. Once you determine what to add, get specific on the benefit you want this activity to provide. Understand the why that will motivate and inspire you when it is time to act.

Test out the new routine for a few weeks while acknowledging it does not have to be perfect.

Going with our morning walk example, you could set a goal to get outside for 30 minutes twice a week. Adding something to a routine does not mean it gets done daily. Create a cadence that is doable, especially when it is something you have not been doing previously. One step at a time.

Determine if the benefit you experience is worth adding this item to your routine.

After a few weeks, assess your results. What happened on the mornings when you took a walk? What happened on the mornings when you did not? What happened when you hit snooze and slept later? Understand if the change is benefiting you in the way you intended. Tweak the activity based on the result.

Remember: there is no magic time to assess your routine; change it as your preferences change. The school year offers a continuous opportunity to learn. The same is true for you and your ideal routine.

Dr. Katie Stone is the founder of Together Evolving.  Email Katie at katie.stone@togetherevolving.com to learn more about the transformational impact coaching has on you and your leadership.