I know, we can’t believe it either. It’s September already, and that means back to the old school routine. September seems to bring with it melancholy even for those of us who didn’t have the luxury of a summer break – whether it’s public transport being flooded again, the influx of complaints from students everywhere, or the hot days drawing in and getting colder, the summer buzz is coming to an end and leaving a lot of us feeling a bit fed up.
September often feels like a fresh start, but we don’t give it the same celebration that we give to January, meaning that it can instead feel monotonous and tiring.
Whether you’re a parent waving goodbye to your little one on the doorstep (sadness mixed with that tinge of relief…), a student headed back to uni digs (freedom mixed with saying goodbye to regular nutritious food) or back at work in the same old slog, there are ways to kickstart your pseudo-new year and inject some energy into your routine when you’re feeling lacklustre.
Change up your routine
One of the reasons that getting back into that September routine is because it often feels like every September that’s come before it. That feeling of déjà vu reminds us of what we were doing last year, or the year before, and can make us feel like we haven’t progressed in the ways that we have or have hoped to.
If we change up our September routine, we can shift our focus to the here and now, beating that déjà vu and monotony of the same old routine. A lot of back-to-school changes are focused on buying new products; bags, pencil cases, pens and lunchboxes. At Brushbox, we believe that you should consume as little plastic as possible and avoid fast fashion where you can with the aim of protecting the environment (and, of course, being kind to your pursestrings). So what are the best ways to do that while still making a change?
We always start with music. Studies have proven time and again that music evokes memories, which is great when you want to reminisce, but not so ideal when those memories hit you when you’re not expecting them. At Brushbox, we love making monthly playlists on Spotify to change up our music monthly – that way, if we want to be reminded of last year’s songs, we can tune in, but otherwise we can keep our music fresh and our music selection growing. It’s an easy and free way to give you a fresh perspective and soundtrack this September.
Our next move when we’re trying to shake up our routine is to take up a new hobby. For most of us at the Brushbox office, this September we’ve been taking on running, dancing, swimming and cycling – after a long summer of barbecues and lazy beach days we needed the shock to the system! Anything can make this September different from the rest though, whether it’s taking up a new sport, reading a new book or travelling to new places (when you get the time). When you make a marked change in your activities, you begin to see the new month as a true new start, rather than a monotonous repeat of last year.
We know that music brings back memories, and so do smells (nice ones, of course…). Soap is an unavoidable purchase, so why not change up your toiletries when they need replacing this month by picking new flavours and smells that will set the month apart? Plus, replacing everything in your bathroom that needs a freshen up, like soaps and other toiletries, is the perfect opportunity to make the shift towards making your bathroom more sustainable (you can read our top tips here). That way, even though you’re investing in new products, you’re cutting down on your plastic use and making steps to make a better world.
Our priority when it comes to changing up our routine is, of course, our toothbrushes. Brushbox subscribers never have to worry about making an effort to change their brush once they’ve made the switch to bamboo - we send them a new toothbrush every other month, so their bathroom is constantly looking ship-shape.
Changing up your routine doesn’t have to cost the earth, and it is one of the simplest ways that you can get out of that September rut.
How will you be changing your routine up to beat the September blues?