New Year’s resolutions get all the attention, but, if we’re honest, as life overhauls go they’re absolutely awful. We blame the time of year. Making plans to drastically change ourselves when it’s freezing cold, we’ve just about made it through the festive period and our bank accounts are looking miserable after spending on presents seems like a very poor idea.
A far superior option in our books? A September reset. Blame our school days – we’ll always associate this time of year with new beginnings, and unlike January, we should enter into this period with enough energy to actually get cracking on whatever area of our lives we want to improve. We’ve had the summer socialising, eating ice cream and lounging about in the sun. Now, we get relief from the overwhelming heat and the start of a new season that’s lovely in its own way – think gorgeous orange leaves on the trees, a fresh crispness in the air, cosily comforting meals.
So: September. The one true time to sort your life out and proceed as a new and improved version of you. But how do you go about an autumn-ready reset? We asked Dean Burnett, a neuroscientist and the author of The Idiot Brain, for his seven-step guide, with advice that will actually make you happier and your life better.
Accept the new season
Rather than getting glum about summer being done or attempting to fast-forward through to Christmas, try to accept September for what it is. ‘Some people prefer to hunker down during the colder months and just wait until it gets warm again; others latch on to any and every positive aspect,’ says Dean. ‘Neither way is especially healthy. The emotional parts of your brain are crucial for wellbeing and suppressing any aspect, positive or negative, for too long can be surprisingly detrimental. It’s fine to accept that things are gloomier out there, because they are. But you can still get plenty done. Recognising this, rather than suppressing it in some way, can be key to meeting your goals and plans.’
Stay active
‘Physical and mental health are interconnected,’ notes Dean. ‘Worsening weather is often linked to poorer wellbeing, and one factor is that people stay home more, which means less physical activity overall. While they’re often regarded as separate things, there’s a well-established link between mental and physical health. So even if the forecast isn’t as encouraging, you should still keep up with the latter.’
On that note, be wary of falling into a similar trap many of us do when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, which is getting so focused on one specific area to overhaul that everything else falls by the wayside. So if your plan for September is sorting out the house, don’t become so consumed by that you drop all your usual self-care. If you want to read more, don’t forget to keep your movement levels up at the same time. Take a holistic approach.
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Make yourself feel in control, even in a small way
Dean tells us: ‘The human brain responds well to a sense of autonomy. We like to feel in control. Unfortunately, in the modern world, many of the things important to us, like money, career, love life etc, aren’t things we have complete control over (as it should be, in the relationship example). But if you can find something, some pursuit or task or pastime, where you have a much greater degree of control, it can provide an often essential boost to wellbeing.’
What could that controllable thing be? Maybe it’s always taking five minutes at the end of the day to read a book, or taking some time to do puzzles, or collaging. Anything where what you’re doing, how you’re doing it and why you’re doing it are all entirely up to you will do the trick.
Aim for small, incremental changes
Break any big September goal into achievable mini actions. And take it slow. ‘While it would be great if we could read a book a day, or shift the weight of summer indulgence in a week, our bodies and brains don’t work that way, and this can be discouraging when we try to do a reset or make big changes,’ Dean explains. ‘But it’s important to stay the course. Big sudden changes seldom last and we end up feeling worse. But gradual, incremental changes can lead to positive, self-sustaining habits, which are better for us long-term.’
Keep the good things about summer
Dean says: ‘One reason people like summer so much and dread winter is that there’s more daylight, and the weather (usually) allows us to do more things outside, see more people etc. And while we can’t control the weather or the Earth’s orbit, we don’t have to be totally beholden to them either. Research reveals that more time outdoors and more social interaction are good for wellbeing, so even if it is wetter or chillier, you don’t need to abandon those things for want of a coat.’
In short: do the things that brought you joy in summer to keep your mood elevated... but adapted for the new season. If your favourite thing in August was time in a pub garden playing cards with pals, do the same thing in September... just inside, in comfy chairs. If you planned an entire day out on a Sunday to get ice cream at the beach, pay the same level of attention to a weekend spent in pursuit of the best chai latte near you.
Seek out the easier wins to keep yourself motivated
It’s great to work on a long-term goal like writing a novel or building up leg strength. But it’s the more immediate feelings of achievement that keep you feeling content enough to keep going. Dean says: ‘Smaller but more manageable goals can be much easier for your brain’s ability to recognise cause and effect. Clearing out the attic is a lot less significant than buying the big house in the country you’ve always dreamed of. But it can be achieved in a weekend and you can get the genuine sense of satisfaction and achievement from doing something tangible. Over time, such things can add up to provide a real sense of achievement and capability.’
Focus on changes that matter to you, not other people
‘When choosing new goals to focus on, make sure they’re yours and not others’,’ says Dean. ‘Whether it’s sorting out your accounts, redecorating your kitchen or finally learning to tap dance, psychological research has shown repeatedly that we experience much better wellbeing and satisfaction when we achieve things that we personally believe are genuinely important, not because others tell us they are, like the obsession with being “beach-body-ready” in the build-up to summer.’ Rather than aiming for a reset that seems impressive to everyone else, choose targets that you think are important.
