As another blink-and-miss-it summer ends, September is here. What felt in childhood like the season of brand new school supplies and fresh starts has become, for our grown-up selves, a high-stress reminder that there’s loads to be done before the year is out. If you feel the “September Scaries,” you’re certainly not alone. Research shows stress increases steadily every month from summer to the new year, reaching a fever pitch in December.
Saying goodbye to summer is hard. You spend more time outside, have easier access to fresh fruits and veggies and get more physical activity. Sunshine is a tonic that banishes the blues, boosting vitamin D, melatonin and serotonin to lift our moods and promote better sleep. The vast majority of American workers use vacation time in summer, reducing stress and bolstering well being and creativity. And for those who don't or can't, shortened summer hours sometimes offer many employees a better work-life balance. It's no wonder that the end of August can feel like “the end.”
Thoreau once mused,“One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” While you may not be able to preserve the sunshine and warmth of summer, you can weather the seasonal shift without whiplash. Here are five science-backed ways to keep those August vibes alive as you approach the buzz saw of September.
Pause And Take A Deep Breath
Slow down. This advice seems so easy it’s maddening, because the crunch of busy days makes slowing down feel impossible. But the science is clear: a brief pause, even to daydream, refreshes the brain and replenishes your attention with energy and renewed focus. Even a few deep breaths has a healthful effect. Close your eyes, imagine yourself in a gently swinging hammock with the sun on your face, and count out three deep belly breaths, each with a long exhale. It’s not going to cure everything that ails you, but it will lower your blood pressure, reduce your heart rate and put your mind in a more manageable and restful place.
Have Lunch With A Friend
There’s no shortage of research on the power of a shared meal to build community and reduce stress. Yet 62% of American workers report eating lunch at their desks. Lunch with a friend (away from your desk) is the fastest and easiest way to restore that vacation feeling. But it’s more than that. Research tells us that shared meals boost self esteem, deepen connectivity and belonging and encourage the pauses that keep us grounded. And when you are feeling particularly stressed, the listening ear of a friend helps you eat less, preventing that afternoon binge from derailing your health. If an alfresco picnic is your jam, no need to give it up when the weather cools: grab a friend and preserve that summer spirit—outside the office.
Take A Short Nap
In his 84-year lifetime, Thomas Alva Edison earned 1,093 patents for his inventions. He claimed to have eschewed sleep, finding more than four hours a night a waste of time. But he did nap - in a very unusual way. He would lie down with a handful of balls, dropping them as he dozed off so that he would awaken and return to work. He discovered what research has confirmed: we are at our peak of creativity in the moments of twilight sleep, when we lose the ability to control our thoughts but have not yet fallen into a deep sleep. A single minute of this dozy sleep sparks new insights and may be the key to more creative outcomes. Edison is proof: you can intentionally preserve the lazy snoozes of summer, and become more innovative and effective in the process.
Ditch The Multitasking: Do One Thing At A Time
It’s tempting to tackle a lot of tasks at once. And while you may feel like a talented juggler, the switching costs will take their toll. Even the simplest diversions require your brain to shift goals and apply new rules. In a day of multitasking, these lightning-fast switches add up, draining as much as 40% of your productive time. No matter how long your list, tackling one thing at a time helps you focus and stay effective. In his Dartmouth commencement address, tennis phenom Roger Federer drove this message home. Winning only 54% of his career points, Federer focused on one at a time. “This mindset is really crucial because it frees you to fully commit to the next point and the next point after that, with intensity, clarity, and focus.” If September’s busyness makes you long for the single-minded days of summer, hit one ball at a time and don’t think about the rest.
Curl up With A Good Book
When life gets crazy, you may long for another vacation. If that’s not possible, take an hour and escape into a good book. Reading transports you into a different reality, keeping your brain engaged and entertaining your imagination. Science reports that reading boosts empathy and expands your worldview by encouraging you to try on the experiences of a variety of characters. And reading—even alone—mimics social interaction by making you feel like part of the group in the story. In other words, when you read about the wizards in Harry Potter, you feel like one of the crew at Hogwarts. When a social summer gives way to isolated remote work, taking an hour to get lost in a book goes the distance to preserve a sense of connection and bolster your mental health.
These intentional and science-backed practices can keep “back to school” from becoming “back to stress,” strengthening your creativity, energy and wellbeing. At a time when stress and burnout are at an all time high, these small but proven acts of self-care may be the difference between an enjoyable autumn or a fall that does you in.
First published on Forbes.com.
