Getting Back on Track – Finding Your Routine After a Break or Vacation

Have you lost all your structure and routines during the vacation? Maybe you’ve indulged in a few too many treats and let your exercise habits slip as well. If so, you might be feeling a bit of panic about getting back to school or work, just like many others.

It’s not easy to maintain your routines during breaks. And you’re not alone if you feel completely overwhelmed when it’s time to return to school or work after a holiday. 

The good news is that when it all starts up again, it can actually help you get back into your routines simply because life begins to return to normal. 

Here are four tips to make it easier:

1. One Thing at a Time
   
   Behavioral changes are demanding. And it’s important to acknowledge that they take time and energy. It’s also really tough to change everything at once
   
   So pick one area that feels important and start there (roll a dice if you can’t decide!). For example, it could be getting up earlier to reset your sleep schedule or eating more regular meals.
   

2. Give Yourself Reminders
   
   If you want to do something, you’ll first have to remember to do it – and at a time when you actually can do it. 
   
   Find ways to take the load off your brain’s working memory by giving yourself external reminders of what you want to do. Like setting alarms on your phone, using sticky notes or making lists. 
   
   When starting a new morning or evening routine, it can be helpful to write it down so you don’t have to keep it all in your head.
   

3. Get a Boost from Others
   
   Other people can be incredibly valuable when it comes to getting started with what you need to do! Research shows that we’re more likely to follow through on behavior changes if we tell others what we plan to do.
   
   So share your goals for the day with your friends. And ask them to check in on how it’s going. But remember the first tip – don’t commit to all the changes at once! 
   
   Another way to get help from others is to do things together – exercise, clean, or cook with a friend!
   

4. Remove the Obstacles
   
   Don’t rely too much on your self-discipline or willpower; instead, adjust your environment to make it easier for you to do the right thing. Think about what obstacles are preventing you from doing what you want and need to do. And take them seriously. 
   
   

   • If you’re not exercising because it feels too boring – consider how you can make it more fun! 

   • If you don’t have comfortable workout shoes – buy new ones, or try a new form of exercise that you can do barefoot. 

   • If you’re not eating well because you don’t know what to cook – make sure you have ingredients on hand for easy, healthy meals that you can quickly put together.

In the Letterlife app, you’ll find more tips on how to get started again, establish routines and create structure. Download it if you haven’t already!

Good luck getting back into the swing of things!

Matilda & Lotta
❤️

Matilda Utbult & Lotta Borg Skoglund

Occupational Therapist – MD PhD & Letterlife Co-founder

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