How to take advantage of those back to school feels (even if you’re an adult)

I don’t know about anyone else, but whenever we get to September and the weather starts to cool and the nights draw in I get excited. I get excited not just because I’m my best self when I’m wearing a jumper, but because it marks back to school time.

I have always been a complete nerd and I still am even though I haven’t had a September term start for 7 years now (uni started in October for me). September still marks that get back down to business refresh for me, and here’s how you can embrace it too.

Set some goals – first things first, make sure you’re set up right by having something to aim for. I’ve written before about setting goals, but the key highlights are: make your goals something you control, something that stretches you but isn’t unrealistic, and something measurable.
Get a planner (or make sure you’re on top of your current one) – one of the greatest joys of starting the new school year was getting a new planner and laying it out exactly how I wanted it. That’s totally something you can do even if you’re not going back to school.
Feel free to pick up some shiny stationery too – few things motivate me more to get making than having some new stationery to play with – it’s sad but it’s true. Whether it’s a notebook, some pens, post-its or even some new software to play with, try changing up your practice by bringing in some new tools. Plus, you can support creatives and small business owners while you’re at it too!
Pick something new to learn – okay, so the real reason you go back to school is to learn. Trying and learning new things has been one of my main goals this year, and I’m ramping that up now I’ve got my September mojo back on. Join me either by signing up to some online courses either via Skillshare, YouTube, iTunes U or anywhere else, or doing something in person. There is a course out there for absolutely everything.
Put your best foot (and your best outfit) forward – the biggest change you can make to get your back to school on is to decide to put your best foot forward. One way you can do that, or at least I will be doing that, is putting a little bit of effort into how I present myself. Did anyone else plan their first day of school outfit the night before? It might seem super surface level, but you know sometimes you have to fake it til you make it.

That’s how I’m going to be embracing the new school year spirit even though work doesn’t take a 6 week break for summer, which, by the way, remains a travesty. Is anyone else going to be doing the same?

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