Set your New Year’s Resolutions in September

Our school days might be long behind us, but there’s still something to be said about the fresh promise of new beginning the back-to-school season brings.

While the summer is about relaxing, enjoying ourselves and breaking out of routine, September is like turning to a fresh new page – it’s a time where we can begin to set new goals and make plans for the autumn and winter ahead.

That sense of starting fresh and beginning again means for many people September is actually a better time to set a “New Year’s Resolution” than in January, when you’re feeling tired and bloated from the excess of the festive season.

Ready to seize on the back-to-school mindset? Here’s why setting resolutions now might be the way to go.

There’s no pressure

For many people, the pressure to set a resolution for the new calendar year is the opposite of motivating. September is a good time to think about new goals without being bombarded with pressure to completely overhaul your life. Instead, spend a moment thinking about one or two things you’d like to get done, rather than what you feel you should be doing or what other things are telling you to do. Forget ‘new year, new you’ – this is a great time to set goals you’re excited about starting.

You’ve got a head start

If you start working towards your goals in September, by the time January 1^st rolls around you’ll already be months ahead. Not only does this mean you have a chance to get into a new routine – for example, joining the gym before hoards of people do the same – but when the January blues inevitably roll in, you can feel happy and excited by the progress you’ve already made.

You can get the right support

If you need the support and encouragement of others, September is the best time to tap into the resources around you – the Christmas season is a busy time for everyone, and by the New Year most people are preoccupied with their own goals. Right now is the perfect time to get the undivided attention of a mentor, whether you’re wanting to hire a personal trainer or looking for career help from a colleague or want help starting a new hobby from a friend.

Do you have any goals you could get started on in September? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!