Fancy sharing your 'atomic habits'* for inspiration for a September reset?

[LadyMaria]

Hello everyone

I love a clean slate and making resolutions. I've been making (and breaking) resolutions since I was little. I always considered September to be a second January, and in that spirit, I want to take advantage of the fresh-start atmosphere that comes with the back-to-school season. My goal is to start implementing small changes that will help me reorganise my life and regain the sense of control that I absolutely crave.

I'm here to ask you lovely ladies to please share with me (and anyone interested in doing the reset) the tiny changes that helped you start transforming your lives for the better.

• Atomic Habits

I am a work in progress but a few of my habits are:

• laying out clothes for the next day the night before
• doing 10 sit ups/ press ups every morning after shower.
• after brushing teeth, wipe out basin and swish toilet each morning.
• when kettle boiling, wipe down surfaces.
• after finished work for the week, symbolic clean and tidy of my desk. Very cleansing in both senses!!

is this the kind of thing you mean? Small habits that build up. Following for more - I love them as I used to be a bit of a slob.

Thank you! That's exactly what I am after. You seem to have developed excellent habits. I want to form good habits that will save me from using up my mental energy which will be kept instead for more important stuff.

Those are amazing @Frieda2024
I am a slob and my colleague is super tidy, but I'm last out first in so I tend to leave my desk in a state. I will learn from your approach.

I do already hang five outfits with underwear every morning which is a brilliant tip.

Mine is I leave my insulated cup clean and open ready to make my coffee each night and I leave my breakfast/lunch in glass 'tupperware' in the fridge all ready to put in my bag and walk out.

Also I leave DC sports kit in the car on the right days so we don't get halfway to the bus without it.

On a Sunday, I check my diary for the coming week to give myself a bit of an overview of what's coming up. I also go through my emails and make sure that any new appointments are transferred across to my diary. I check my diary & task list every morning at breakfast, to remind myself of what needs to be done that day.

A random habit I got from my mum is I empty my bag out every night and pack only what I need for the next day. It saves me from lugging around a steadily growing collection of detritus with me everywhere until cleaning my bag out every month or so in horror. Or realising something is in my other bag when I’m out and about.

I keep all the usual items which I could want to take with me together in a cabinet by the front door, then just put in what I actually need. It takes about 30 seconds in the evening and 30 seconds in the morning, but is really worth it for me.

I like the idea but haven't thought of September as a fresh start since since
school

Bump.

What are you planning on establishing, op?

I think the 'habit stacking' is the biz.
I'm so disorganised but the concept to take a thing that you already habitually do, and add another thing is great. My best success... a simple one.

First thing in the morning, drink a pint of water while the kettle boils for tea.

Thanks everyone for sharing your lovely ideas. I might steal one -or all- of them.

@Frieda2024 I want to feel more in control by building good habits that will help me save time and maintain my sanity. Right now, I feel like I'm wasting my mental energy instead of focusing on what really matters.

I want to stop checking my phone in the morning as soon as I wake up. Can anyone recommend a clock that you can set multiple alarms on?

I 'make' my bed as soon as I get up - plumping pillows, airing mattress by neatly turning back duvet and opening windows.

20-40 squats while cleaning my teeth morning and night.

I empty the dishwasher while the kettle boils and the tea brews

20 high knees-to-opposite elbows each side and 20 high kick toe touches each side while heating milk for coffee.

Clean loo, polish taps and mirrors and wipe basin while waiting for bath to run.

Flylady 5 minute room rescues once a day in kitchen and living room.

I know what you mean. You can choose any month. Some people for eg see Spring as a fresh start after spring cleaning, while others view their birthday as the beginning of a new year.

When DC were small I used to do that with their changing bag. I'd just restock it every night with fresh nappies, wipes, change of clothes, formula and snacks and a small kit of arnica, calpol, calgel, savlon, anthisan and muslin cloths. I got a reputation for being hyper organised and mums always came to me to borrow stuff. I am not naturally organised but that tiny ritual meant I could get out of the house in minutes with two DC under two years old.

Fitbit?

Excellent tips. I try to "stack" habits:

Pelvic floor exercises while kettle is boiling

Daily Duolingo on train home from work

That sort of thing works for me

I love this thread. I'm a new year in September kinda gal!

Clean as I cook (I used to cook and it would look like the kitchen had met with a natural disaster). I make sure that I bin food waste, get rid of packaging, put herbs away etc. Then straight after tea, husband washes the dishes, I make the brews and give the surfaces/table a quick wipe down.

Love this

I have FINALLY got into meal planning, so I write a week's worth of meals in my diary every Sunday. It's boring, but it helps.

Also filling the kettle every evening and putting the teabag in my mug ready for the morning. Such a small thing and saves me seconds, but it makes Morning Me feel very warmly towards Evening Me.

I've also had a big clear out of clothes. Getting them to the charity shop/Salvation Army bank is proving to be a work in progress, but I've got the bag into the car now...

This is a brilliant thread, thanks.

For bag organising types, I really recommend the pocket insert things you can get on eBay/chinese websites/amazon - I have one for a kjankraven (sp?) that transformed its usefulness.

I made a cleaning checklist with tickboxes and tasks laid out day by day in word that suits us in word so that I can print out a copy a week and stick on fridge - really helpful when term starts.

i translate all the weird clipart comic sans comms that come from school into colour coded tables that show what uniform and equipment is needed each day and also what clubs are on what day. Also on fridge

I'm new to implementing habits but the main once I have now cemented is that everytime I leave our sitting room (which is where we spend most of the time) I quickly straighten throws and cushions and remove rubbish and cups to the downstairs. It's made a big difference.

I use an old iPhone. The battery is rubbish, so it needs to be on charge all the time, but it can open Audible and music for my sleep band thingy and set alarms.

I like the mantra ‘be my future friend.’ Do something now to help yourself tomorrow. For me it’s sorting out sofa, wiping sides, putting on dishwasher etc before I go to bed, so I can come into a tidy kitchen/living area in the morning. Another is putting away laundry the day it’s done.

Me too

Great tips!

I will definitely start meal planning. I did it a few years ago, and it was amazingly time-saving.

@Lastminuteisinit pocket inserts are great! From the lists/ checklists you sound very organised already.

@NellyCortado I agree about stacking.

Your post reminded me that I used to do Duolingo every day. I stopped a few months ago after completing an over 500 day streak :(