1. Take Baby Steps

Our winters on the coast are mild, but it can be challenging to get back on track after a summer; days are getting shorter, and nights are much cooler. Rather than trying to get back into every aspect of your routine at once, try setting smaller goals for yourself. Give yourself a few days to organise your closets, a few more days to start cooking and stop eating out, and a few more days to return to your workout routine. There’s no shame in taking baby steps as long as you get there eventually!

2. Stick with the Healthy Basics

Feeling sluggish is the only thing worse than switching out of summer mode and back into real-world mode. Getting back to a healthy routine can be draining, but practising consistent healthy habits will give you extra energy to get through it. Drink lots of water, eat your favourite treats in moderation, and rework some meditation or mindfulness practices into your day to make your mental health the best it can be.

3. Set Yourself Up For Success

One of the best ways to ensure that you stick with plans and habits (even when they don’t feel fun) is to limit the number of excuses you make to avoid them. If you aim to attend a yoga class one morning to get your workout routine in early, set your clothes out the night before. If you hope to return to your healthy cooking game, plan out your recipes a few days in advance to have everything you need in the kitchen and ready to go.

4. Plan Ahead

Your summer trips and adventures wouldn’t have happened without extra planning. It’s going to take planning to resume normal activities, too! Break out the old calendar — whether it’s an app or paper version — and plan out time for meal prep, your full body workout routine, hanging out with people you care about, and indulging in some high-quality self-care around all your can’t-miss commitments. You may not feel like you need to plan much in a few weeks, but it will get you back in the groove for now.

5. Try Something New

Yes, you’re getting back into a routine, but who says that routine has to look exactly how it used to? Now may be the perfect time to change things with a new family schedule, approach your workout routine, or a new habit. You already feel like you’re transitioning, so you might as well go big.

6. Put some things to look forward to on the calender

Saying goodbye to summer can be no fun. Quit trudging through those autumn days by putting a few positive plans on the calendar for the coming months. If you have a weekend trip or even a casual day with friends to look forward to. There’s nothing like anticipating a great day to motivate you through the not-so-great days.

7. Prioritise Sleep

It’s easy to let rest fall off your priority list in the chaos of adjusting from summer to winter. Between refocusing on work, packing school lunches and exercising regularly again, who has time to sleep? Sleep is just as important in the winter as in the summer when you feel more carefree. Set more realistic expectations for what you can accomplish every day so that you can go to bed at a reasonable time and turn off the screens a little early if you have to! Studies recommend that most adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night.

If all else fails, remember that no one expects you to be out of summer mode ASAP. Hold on to those holiday vibes, and don’t feel guilty if you don’t nail the schedule right away or find yourself sleeping on your alarm a few times here and there. You’ll be back at it soon enough!