September is always a busy time of year. Schedules and routines have to shift. There are many logistics to be figured out, and time can feel tight. I am doing my usual Friday planning today, where I map out activities and driving and who is where when. A few things start up, and the four younger kids will be starting school on Tuesday, though the kindergartener then doesn’t have school on Wednesday as they are phasing in their schedule (only half the kindergartners go Tuesday and then the other half go Wednesday…). So…lots of details. I’m sure many people reading this are organizing similar circuses.
But the “fresh start” energy of the new school year means it’s also possible to build new habits. If that’s how you think about the back-to-school season, then please join me for what I’m calling the September Reset.
From September 8-24 (more or less) people doing the “reset” with me will do a few things (mostly via email). We’ll track time together (for one week at least, though you’re welcome to do more!). We’ll learn five time management strategies that can make life feel more calm and fun. My September Reset Online Portal (built out of Google Surveys) will offer a chance for structured reflection on time tracking and the various strategies. Any information shared there will be kept completely anonymous but I’m hoping to find trends and insights to share in some of my future writing. It’s a bit like a course, but completely free, as it’s helping me out!
Please consider signing up. It’s always a good idea to take a look at where the time goes and to think about where we’d like it to go. I think the September Reset will help us do just that.
You can sign up here.
In the meantime, here’s this week’s content. If you haven’t listened to the Best of Both Worlds podcast’s ninth annual discussion of the back to school season, it was a good one. Alongside the Taylor Swift/Jason Kelce/Travis Kelce podcast, it kept me entertained on my epic drive back from Boston on Wednesday.
Over at the Before Breakfast podcast, I talked about how “You don’t have to pick up the ball.” If someone else is having trouble following through, this doesn’t need to become your problem. Indeed, if someone is requesting something from you, you might purposefully put the ball back in their court for a while before you put too much into the request. I talk about how you can “Say less.” It is the rare occasion when more remarks are better than fewer remarks, and you can burn an audience’s good will quickly. I also interview the fascinating Jin Zheng Shi about monastic life and long term projects.
At Vanderhacks, my Substack newsletter, I suggest people “Go on an idea walk.” A certain sort of walk — not too strenuous, not too distracted — can encourage very productive mind wandering. I also recommend that you “Review your summer.” This is something I am doing over the next few days as I figure out what worked and what didn’t.
Behind the paywall I suggest you “Start the group you want to be part of.” People who read productivity newsletters tend to be good at planning and organizing. So, rather than hope to someday be part of a friend group that meets regularly, why not create one?
Thanks for supporting me and my work. Have a great Labor Day weekend!