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New season, new start: How to take control of life this autumn
Posted by Claire Boote, on September 18, 2020.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
January may be the traditional time to mark new beginnings and make resolutions, but we feel that September, as summer turns to autumn and a new school term begins, is a better time to make a fresh start. And with 2020 still serving us challenge and uncertainty, we need to ground ourselves and focus on the small things we can control. Here’s how we are making a new start this season…
Buy a diary
A diary when we’re two thirds into the year? Yes – an academic diary starts in September and takes you through to September 2021 (just imagine how much better life may be then…).
We love this Wild Rose academic diary from Oliver Bonas, now under half price, or this eco-friendly, personalised academic diary by Martha Brook on Not on the High Street. With your fresh new stationery, start adding in a wealth of dates to look forward to, plus simple pleasures – a woodland walk, a 20 minute yoga session in the garden, a bike ride. Don’t allow your new diary to get filled with work commitments and routine appointments alone!
Make a date following the ‘rule of six’
For the foreseeable future, the rules around socialising have been simplified to the ‘rule of six’, i.e. only up to six people of any age can meet up in a public or private space, regardless of the number of households (check the government website for exemptions). This can be upsetting after a summer of shared family holidays and picnics in the park with friends. But we’ve been here before so we know we have the strength to get through it.
Make a date to meet loved ones, either individually or in your group of up to six – face-to-face, real life contact is still allowed right now so make the most of it. But if you’re feeling a bit nervous about meeting up with more vulnerable friends and family, ensure you schedule in video or phone calls so your favourite people are still enhancing your life with laughter, gossip, and a sympathetic ear.
Clear out your clutter
After months of mainly staying at home, a rejig of your domestic surroundings can help you declutter your mind and start afresh. Japanese “organising consultant” Marie Kondo has become a global star since her Netflix series landed in 2019, and her ethos of clearing out anything that doesn’t bring us joy.
You can give her approach a try via the 8-week Tidy Challenge currently on her website – the daily bite-sized tasks aim to help eliminate clutter, leaving you to “emerge feeling lighter and clearer”. We’ll give it a go!
In the early days of lockdown, we revealed how best to store your underwear to keep it in top condition. A well-organised lingerie drawer not only extends the life of your bras but also delivers a huge sense of satisfaction (shout out to our gorgeous social media followers who took part in our #ShowUsYourDrawers competition back in April)! For tips on sorting good bras from bad; recycling old bras; storing padded and non-padded bras; and getting your knickers in order, have another read of our guide. When sorting through your bras try them all on to ensure they still fit perfectly – our fitting at home guide highlights what to look out for.
Try something new
Finally, a new start means trying new things. Lockdown introduced many of us to new routines and new hobbies – did you try cycling, baking or bird-watching for the first time? – which helped expand our mental horizons when our geographical boundaries were shrinking. But as lockdown eased how many of us have slipped back into our old habits?
Taking up a new hobby can calm the mind and help focus our thoughts on the, sometimes troubling, bigger picture. This local newspaper listed six hobbies suited to post-lockdown life (warning: surfing, rafting and boxing may or may not be for you!). If you’re over 60, these ideas may spark some inspiration (although we don’t believe dancing, rambling, language lessons, or any hobby in fact, should be age-specific). And if social restrictions become a little tighter again in the future, you could always try one of these great ideas from the Evening Standard’s list of 10 hobbies to try from home.
