As leaves gild and blush, roots and trunks prepare to brave winter–the trees are changing, and so should we! Whether your style is to squirrel away resources and prepare for a season of rest, or change your coat to match the snow and ramp up your energy, Fall is a time of renewal, a shedding of old things.
Unless you’re an evergreen, then skip this, you steadfast motherducker. I oughta make tea out of you.
How To Be Productive In Fall
If you operate by season or quarters, fall is the perfect time to check in with your goals, intentions, and routines.
Goals
What is your regular goal setting routine? If you don’t have one, take some time to reflect on the previous season’s progress, maybe talk it out with a friend, evaluate your important work, and set goals that are easy and achievable. You might set one or two loftier goals as well!
Keep it simple–the year’s winding down, and we’ve got apples to pick.
Routines
Does the changing season bring new routines? Maybe you want to spend more time outside, take some decorations and sweaters out of storage, or obsessively rake up the leaves in your yard.
Girlie to girlie: I beg of you to not bag your leaves in plastic. That’s so insane. If you hate leaves around your yard, you can rake them up as fabulous free mulch for your trees and flowerbeds, or you can just scoot it to the edges of your yard. Leaves are so important for plant nourishment and insect life, and they’ll degrade on their own! Don’t be a Scrooge!
Autumn Journal Prompts
Autumn months are convenient for figuring stuff out. They’re typically calmer and quieter, you might have more focus, and if you have kids, they’re probably out of the house.
Let’s take a journaling break to figure out any schedule changes, new goals, skills to foster, creative projects to pursue, and in general how you intend to take care of your well being this season.
Here are a few journaling prompts to get you going:
- What am I most grateful for this autumn?
- How has this year gone so far?
- What memories of fall bring me comfort or joy?
- What habits do I want to let go of before the end of this year?
- How can I reduce stress?
- How do I stay motivated?
- How do seasonal changes affect my mood and well being?
- Do I need to change something about my work life balance?
- What do I need to do to prepare for winter months?
- What new projects would I like to pursue?
- What fun things should I try this season? (Ideas: haunted houses, autumn leaf trail hikes, pumpkin carving, making apple cider, trying out a new baking recipe.)
- How can I prioritize self care this fall?
- Take a walk outside and describe how the landscape is changing. Notice the crunchy leaves, crisp air, earthy smells, animals buzzing around to prepare for the cold.
Take care of your mental health
With less sunlight and often less socializing, the colder months can take a toll on your mental health and overall well being.
Be sure to stay on top of this by eating well, getting enough rest, grabbing some sunshine daily, and keeping in touch with friends! Journaling, getting out in nature, and mindfulness practices are also good moves.
Decluttering
Spring cleaning gets all the hype, but I prefer a fall declutter. The trees are ditching everything to grow bigger and better in the spring (except for you, evergreens, and again, move along).
If you’re thinking, “I don’t have the time to declutter my entire house,” check out this guide on speed decluttering.
Take advantage of morning light
Get out in the morning light! 20 minutes of sun exposure soon after waking up can boost your mood, improve your sleep cycle, and keep SAD symptoms at bay. This is even more important when the days shorten.
Learn
Learning stimulates our brain, engages imagination, and keeps our mood lifted. With more inside time, the colder months are ripe and ready for reading and study.
Stay active
Stay physically active, but also be sure to get outside in general and enjoy the nice weather! There are so many fall activities to engage with, like:
- orchard visits
- baking
- carving pumpkins
- haunted attractions and themed escape rooms
- soup!!
- laying outside with a book
- autumn hikes
- corn mazes/pumpkin patches
- camping
- bonfires
- scary movie nights
- host a potluck
- play football or frisbee in the park
It’s easy to get in a funk of inactivity–especially in winter–so don’t give it a head start in fall when there are so many fun things to do!
Batch tasks for holiday prep
If you love to host for the holidays, maybe you can start now! Shopping, planning, decor, meal coordination–it can all be done in advance to save yourself so much stress when the event is right around the corner.
A beforehand declutter could help here, too! Easy peasy to get the house looking presentable with less stuff in it.
Tips To Incorporate Fall Vibes at Work
If you’re a human with a beating heart, I’m going to assume you love fall. It’s literally the best time of year. Here are some ideas for bringing the season into your work routine to make things more fun!
Candles
I love making my own candles. Some soy chips, any random jar, and a couple pieces from your craft store gets you a fun activity, and something cute and smelly for your desk!
Hey, tangent: Isn’t it interesting that any word that means something has a smell has come to mean that it smells bad? Maybe it’s smelly like an apple pie or a pumpkin cookie??
Music/media
When the first leaf falls, it’s time for two things: Spooky, Scary Skeletons and Nightmare Before Christmas. Don’t break tradition.
At work, try out some spooky lo-fi playlists! Yes, I have a lo-fi playlist to offer you for any conceivable occasion.
What are your non-negotiable Halloween movies?
Comfy clothes/blankies
Get cozy, my dude. Bring a lap blanket or cardigan into work to comfy-max. You might even bring some stuffed animals, if you’re feeling cutesy. I always bring out Gobbles, my Beanie Baby turkey that’s about as old as I am.
When Gobbles graces the desk, you know it’s a good time.
Office decor
Again, bring out Gobbles.
Life’s too short not to decorate your workspace for the season!
Get outside
Don’t let the lovely perfect weather go to waste, even though you have to “work” at your “job”.
If you’re able to, take work outside! Find a park or a garden to send emails from for a few hours. Get that life work balance cooking via sun exposure.
What’s the most productive season?
The most productive season will depend on you and your region, but in general, here’s how each season breaks down:
Spring
Spring can feel energizing as the days get longer and the weather warms. Flower are blooming, bunnies are born, everything’s vibing at max capacity. This can be a great time for new beginnings, setting ambitious goals, and tackling a creative project.
Spring typically feels hopeful, so it’s a great time to reevaluate your goals and adjust your trajectory.
Summer
Summer has the longest days, so there’s room for more activities, but factors like increased heat and vacation mindsets can make productivity a bit challenging.
But if you/your job thrives in an active, social environment, summer might be your most productive season.
Fall
Ah, back-to-school season. Crisp mornings, a new routine, and the feeling of a fresh start. Summer wraps up, and we’re honing our focus once more.
Unless you have no kids in your life, then you’re chilling straight through.
The cooler weather can create more comfortable work environments, which makes it ideal for productivity, planning, and completing your projects and goals for the year.
Winter
Though the days are shorter and colder, giving us an energy dip, winter can often be great for deep work. There are fewer distractions from outdoor activities and social engagements, letting us settle into cozy indoor environments to focus on reflective tasks and long-term planning.
Some people may find staying productive and managing energy levels in winter more difficult–seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects many people, so be sure you see to self care and get enough sunlight!
Fall is My Most Productive Time
For me, autumn is my most productive season. The weather is milder (I do NOT function well in bright light and heat), my mood is lifted, and I feel more physically comfortable.
I LOVE school supplies–I’ll traverse the temporary school supply aisles for new notebooks and organizers, even though I haven’t been in school for years. I just love school supplies! And leaves! It’s a great time!
Something about fall gets me feeling ORGANIZED. I’m decluttering, I’m revisiting my goals, I’m making new plans for My Entire Life on a random Tuesday between 9pm and 2am. That last one always looks insane in the morning, but it’s not about the destination, guys.
Which season do you find the most energizing? Let me know in a comment below!
