It’s that time of year again. The last long weekend of the summer and kids are back in school tomorrow. I remember when I was 
going to school, my mother always started to get me into my school routine – going to bed early and waking up early. I used to think my mom was just being mean, taking away that last bit of summer freedom. Now I realize that she understood the importance of establishing a routine, and that isn’t going to happen overnight.
It happens to the best of us. Whether it’s time away from school or taking a break from work and going on vacation, we all have disruptions to our regular routine. A break from the normal schedule can be great! Getting back into a functional rhythm when it’s time can be the challenging part.
Is there a way to make the transition back to our regular daily routine that makes it less of a challenge? I think the key is to give yourself something to look forward to when it’s time to go back to your regular schedule. Maybe it’s a new project at work or for your business. Perhaps it’s a new fitness class or continuing education class. Whatever it is, it ought to be something that motivates you to ensure that you’re in top form mind, body and soul; so that you give whatever it is your coming back to 100% of your effort.
This isn’t to say that you can’t enjoy your break. That’s what they’re there for! The break is a time to recharge, take your mind off the day-to-day for a while so that you can come back with new eyes. I’m just talking about not suffering from a vacation hangover. You know what I’m talking about. You’ve had so much fun on your vacation that you have no desire to get back into your routine. You want to head back on that plane, train or car and go back to where life was so much easier.
Most of us can’t do that though, can we? The truth is, as heavenly as it may sound to go back to being “off”, we know that we have things we need to do, responsibilities to take care of. If we want more of that freedom time, we have to build the kind of foundation that will allow us to do that. How’s that for motivation to get back to you regular routine?
We’ve got four months left to make this year count. Whether you are indeed going back to school, or simply refocusing now that summer is coming to a close, there is still work to be done. Do you have a plan? What do you need to do to really feel like 2014 has been a great year? Remember it just takes doing one thing every day towards the accomplishment of your goal to bring you closer to making it a reality. A routine gives you the discipline to make those things happen. ♥