Back to Work: The Grown-Up Reset Checklist to Finish Your Year Strong.
If your brain’s still on vacation, but your inbox is on fire, this is for you.
The calendar says September 1st, but your brain’s at the beach, still in vacation mode. Guess what? You’re not alone. Everyone’s thinking the same thing: “Didn’t we just start the summer? How did we get to September already?” And not just that, but also: “What do you mean there are only four months left in the year?” Disclaimer: take a breath and keep reading. Don’t worry, we cover that scary countdown further on.
I don’t know about you, but it always takes me a minute to recalibrate back to routine after being on vacation. Whether your summer comprised a two-week sun-drenched holiday away, a few relaxing long weekends at the cottage, or just multiple late-night dinner evenings on the patio with friends, the onset of September often feels jarring in contrast. And let’s not even begin to describe the excitement and panic that hits pretty much every parent the week before the kid’s first day back at school. From trying to corral everyone into bed early so they wake up on time to the realization that you totally forgot to buy that textbook, it’s not surprising that emotions run high the first week of September. Then there’s you, trying to sit at your desk and get on with whatever you were supposed to be doing before you took a break – with all the sluggishness, the brain fog, the overwhelmingness – it takes everything in you not to pick up your phone and just start scrolling Pinterest in search of new energy supplements to take.
PTO Anxiety
Have you ever seen that commercial from the 90’s with the song “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” showing parents smiling wildly, going up and down aisles while they gather school supplies for their kids who follow behind them looking all forlorn? When my kids were young, we put in a lot of effort to help our kids get excited about ‘back to school’ because we knew that if they weren’t excited come Monday morning, we’d be dragging them out of bed kicking and screaming. Going from vacation mode to routine mode is hard at any age, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that a recent study from Talent Canada found that 3 out of every 4 Canadian professionals feel anxious when they get back to work after having some vacation time off. There’s even a term for it: “Paid Time Off Anxiety”.
That got me thinking that maybe the way we think about September needs a repositioning. Maybe we need to move away from thinking September means “back-to-routine, back-to-the-grind, back-to-reality” and imagine it as an opportunity to reset, refocus and realign, to finish the year strong.
Summer may be over, but the year isn’t.
Okay, here’s the part where we cover the scary countdown. So before you start having that meltdown and thinking about how you’re behind, let’s pause. You’re not too late, and no, the year’s not over. We need to stop thinking about September as the beginning of some race we’ve fallen behind on, and start thinking about it as a divine opportunity to realign to what really matters. Consider the words of the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament, which read,
“Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:18-19
If you keep looking back upon the year with dread and keep bemoaning how much time has gone by, you’re going to miss all the opportunities that are right in front of you! Instead of getting hung up on the past (which you can’t change), press into today and tomorrow, and adjust as needed by asking yourself these 3 questions:
What’s the #1 thing I want to do/finish/accomplish by the end of the year?
What one thing do I want to stop doing?
What’s one bold move I’m ready to make?
Build your ‘Back to Work’ Reset Checklist
Remember those ‘back to school’ checklists you got at the end of every school year? Well, think of this as the grown-up version to help you finish the year strong. Whether you’re heading back to your full-time office job, part-time barista gig, or volunteer role at your kids’ school, September can be an incredible time to reset with clarity, refocus with intention, and realign with purpose.
RESET your rhythm & energy. First off, let’s be clear that you’re not going to get “caught up” on the first day, so let that misplaced expectation go and don’t allow yourself to think that you’re falling behind. Instead, schedule intentional time blocks into your first week to pause and purposefully plan out the back end of the year.
Include in those time blocks created in step 1 some dedicated times for rituals that nourish and build you up. For example, consider adding time throughout your week for early morning prayer walks, analog journalling, or a few distraction-free intentionally restful lunch hours.
REFOCUS on what really matters. Revisit the goals you set out for the year, and not just your work goals and projects to deliver, but the goals for yourself. What really matters between now and the end of the year? Write down the 3-5 things that are the most important to you, and keep them in front of you as a reminder to focus on the right work, not just busy work.
Once you’ve refocused your goals for the rest of the year, go through your calendar and audit your meetings and commitments. Cut out anything that doesn’t move the needle in those most important areas, and secure your time for the things that do.
REALIGN your work with your values & beliefs. Think about this time not just as back-to-routine or back-to-work, but as a re-calibration as to why you work. Write down the impact you want to make and the person you want to be and become while you work.
Remember that it’s not just about completing tasks; it’s about working in such a way that whatever you do brings to life who you are and what you believe. Contrary to what some people think, the end doesn’t justify the means. If things have gotten off track, use this time to bring your work back into alignment with your values.
September is a great time to recommit to your bigger vision, whether that’s launching a business, homeschooling your children, or bringing more passion and joy into your work. Don’t miss the opportunity to reset, refocus and realign - because this season really shouldn’t be about how “I’m so behind, I need to do more”, it should be about “doing what is good” (Titus 3:8) and doing what really matters.
#TGIM
