School just started again, and the shift is real.
For a lot of us, it marks the end of late dinners, long days, and the beautiful chaos of summer. Locals summer has arrived, cooler mornings, quieter trails, and maybe even a little breathing room. But even with that space, this time of year can feel disorienting.
If your schedule just flipped, your rhythm got disrupted, or you're feeling like you're in between gears, you're not alone. This is one of the most common times I see clients fall out of their routines or beat themselves up for not having one.
The truth? Routine changes can throw everything off. But they can also offer a clean slate.
This season is a pivot point... if you let it be.
Back-to-school might seem like a return to structure, but for many of us, it means even more juggling. New schedules, new responsibilities, and the looming pressure of the holiday season ahead.
That makes now a critical window. Not to perfect your routine, but to rethink it.
Instead of trying to “get back on track,” what if you built something that works for this season of your life?
3 ways to approach your routine right now:
1. Don’t aim to “go back.”
Summer likely pulled you out of a lot of habits. That doesn’t mean you failed — it means you lived. Now, with a new season and schedule, start fresh. Ask what fits now.
2. Choose one anchor habit.
Pick one thing that helps you feel grounded — maybe it’s prepping food, taking a weekly class, going for a morning walk, or stretching before bed. Build from there.
3. Use locals summer to your advantage.
Before the holiday chaos hits, you have a unique window to recalibrate. There’s less pressure, fewer visitors, and (hopefully) a little more quiet. Use this time to reset in a way that feels good, not extreme.
This is the reset you've been waiting for, not January, not “after the holidays,” but right now.
There’s nothing magical about a Monday or the first of the month. The opportunity to regroup is available anytime you decide to take it.
Let the change in routine be your signal, not that you’ve fallen behind, but that you have a chance to move forward with more clarity, more intention, and more support.
And if you’re feeling a little off right now, that’s normal too. You’re not behind, you’re in transition. Let’s build from here.
— Christine Bettera
NBHWC- Board Certified Health Coach | ACSM-CPT
🧠 Mental Peaks - The Science of Routine Change
If your habits feel shaky right now, there’s a reason for that, and it’s not that you lack willpower.
Your brain is wired for patterns.
It loves predictability because it conserves energy and creates a sense of safety. When your routine gets disrupted, whether by a new season, a schedule shift, or the end of summer chaos, your brain gets disoriented.
This is called a temporal landmark, a moment that divides your life into “before” and “after.”
Psychologists call it the “Fresh Start Effect.”
These moments, like back-to-school season or the transition into fall, naturally increase your motivation to change because they make you feel like you’ve turned a page.
But here’s the catch: motivation spikes at the start of a new routine, but follow-through depends on structure. That’s why it’s so easy to set new goals and so hard to maintain them.
Here’s what actually works:
✅ Start small, and build on success.
Instead of trying to overhaul everything, pick one anchor habit and let that become the foundation.
✅ Tie new habits to existing cues.
Behavioral science shows that routines stick better when they're linked to something you already do — like walking the dog, brewing coffee, or school drop-off.
✅ Give yourself time to adjust.
It takes about 4–6 weeks for a new habit to feel automatic. In the meantime, expect discomfort, and plan for flexibility, not perfection.
When you understand how your brain and body respond to change, it becomes easier to work with yourself, instead of feeling like you’re constantly falling short.
Change is uncomfortable. But with support, strategy, and self-compassion, it can also be where the good stuff starts.
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