When the calendar flips from September to October, there’s a subtle shift in the air and after a relaxed summer the pressure to finish the year strong is all around us.
Whether it’s a race to complete your personal goals by the end of the year, or the realisation that you only have a couple of months to reach the KPI’s you told your boss you are on top of before your year end review – September is a reminder that there is an end of year “deadline” looming and we need to get back to our most productive selves.
If January is the official “new year,” October feels like the second one, with 3 months left of the year it’s the perfect moment to rethink routines, refresh habits, and set intentions for how you want to finish the year strong.
Here’s how to embrace your autumn reset, with three practical steps you can start this week.
Why Autumn Is the Perfect Time to Reset
Most of us start the year in January armed with resolutions, vision boards, and endless motivation. By February, the energy tends to fade. Cold weather, post-holiday exhaustion, and unrealistic expectations can leave us drained before spring even begins.
Autumn, however, feels different. There’s a built-in sense of rhythm with back-to-school season, the return of structure, and the slow transition into cozy routines. It’s a season that invites reflection and routine, making it easier to refocus on what matters.
From a psychological standpoint, seasonal changes often act as “temporal landmarks,” moments in the year that signal new beginnings. Just like the start of a week or a birthday, autumn offers a mental clean slate. For you, it’s a chance to:
- Revisit career goals before year-end reviews.
- Re-align priorities to avoid burnout during the holiday rush.
- Refresh personal habits around wellness, rest, and balance.
Instead of waiting until January to start over, use this moment to reset and finish the year stronger than you started.
Step One: Revisit Your Goals for Q4
If your 2025 goals are gathering dust in a forgotten notebook or buried in a Google Doc you haven’t opened since spring, you’re not alone. But October is the perfect checkpoint.
Start by asking yourself:
- Which of my original goals still matter to me?
- What can realistically be achieved in the next three months?
- What would finishing the year strong look like?
The key is not to overhaul your entire life in one season but to focus on progress. For example:
- If your goal was to save take more control of your finances this year, set a Q4 target like “subscribe to a financial education newsletter.”
- If your goal was career growth, identify one specific action such as “apply for two internal opportunities” or “book a networking coffee once a week.”
Then, break each goal into daily or weekly action steps. Writing down one action step per day makes the goal less overwhelming and far more achievable.
Example:
- Goal: Improve work-life balance.
- Daily Action Step: Log off by 6:30 p.m. and take a 30-minute walk.
Small, consistent steps create momentum. By the time December arrives, you’ll have built a track record of progress instead of scrambling to catch up.
Step Two: Create a Weekly Reset Ritual
Resets aren’t just for seasons. They work beautifully on a weekly basis too. Think of a “reset ritual” as a structured, 15-minute practice to clear mental clutter and prepare for the week ahead.
Why it matters:
- Creates space for intentional planning.
- Reduces decision fatigue during busy workdays.
- Helps you stay on track with both personal and professional goals.
Your ritual can be as simple or elaborate as you like. A few ideas:
- Sunday evening: light a candle, review your calendar, write down three weekly intentions.
- Friday afternoon: clear your inbox, tidy your desk, jot down what went well and what needs adjusting next week.
- Monday morning: spend 10 minutes journaling about how you want to show up that week.
The secret is consistency. By blocking this time in your calendar, you treat it as non-negotiable. Even 15 minutes of structured reflection can change the way your week unfolds.
Step Three: Experiment With a New Productivity Habit
Sometimes, the best way to reset is to shake up your routine. A fresh productivity strategy can spark motivation and make your days feel lighter.
Here are a few worth trying this autumn:
- The Two-Minute Rule
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. Emails, calendar invites, filing receipts will help clear the mental clutter that feels like it is weighing you down each week. - The One Big Thing Method
Each morning, identify the single most important task for the day. Do it first, before everything else. - Time Blocking
Instead of a never-ending to-do list, assign specific blocks of time to categories: deep work, meetings, errands, rest. Ideally allocate this into your calendar, and actually follow the schedule. - Digital Declutter Practice
Pick one digital space per week to clean: your inbox, downloads folder, or phone apps. You’ll feel lighter and more organized instantly.
The goal isn’t to master every productivity hack. It’s to test and see which one actually fits your lifestyle.
Don’t Forget the Wellness Side of Resetting
The autumn reset be about nurturing your well-being, as well as optimising your workday. Professional women often push through long days, convincing ourselves rest is a luxury. But rest is also productivity.
Consider adding one of these wellness resets to your routine this season:
- Seasonal walks: Use the cooler weather as an excuse to take daily 20-minute walks.
- Cozy reading hours: Swap scrolling for a nightly ritual with a book and tea.
- Nutrition refresh: Experiment with seasonal recipes like roasted squash, warming soups, and nourishing grains.
- Sleep audit: Track your sleep patterns for a week and make small tweaks such as no screens before bed, a consistent bedtime, or investing in new bedding.
When your body feels supported, your work and relationships benefit too.
The Autumn Reset Challenge: 7 Days to a Stronger Finish
If you’re ready to take action, try this one-week challenge:
- Day 1: Revisit your 2025 goals and set Q4 intentions.
- Day 2: Write one daily action step to support your goals.
- Day 3: Block 15 minutes for your weekly reset ritual.
- Day 4: Experiment with one new productivity habit.
- Day 5: Do one wellness-focused reset activity.
- Day 6: Reflect on your progress in a journal.
- Day 7: Celebrate with something small but joyful.
By the end of the week, you’ll feel grounded, focused, and ready to finish the year on your own terms!
Final Thoughts
An autumn reset is about aligning with the season and giving yourself a fresh start so that you can finish the year strong.
So light the fancy candle you have been saving, open your planner, and decide how you want your 2025 to end!
28
Sep
