The September Slog

Three Simple Strategies for Staying Consistent During Busy Times

Let me preface this by saying I really do love September. The turn of the seasons. The cool mornings. The sense of an opportunity to begin again. The return to routines.

And yet myself and many of my clients - like the vast majority - that I have been speaking to this month have found September to be particularly challenging and are happy it’s nearly over! And I would like to say that this struggle is a result of pandemic fatigue, but this happens every year.

The trend I have witnessed is that it takes most people well into September, or even October to feel grounded and really in to a routine. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or “behind”, friend know that you are right on time and you are not alone.

During times like these, when your CNS (Central Nervous System) is on fire with life stresses (ex. kids transitioning back to school or childcare, work commitments ramping up etc.), there are several approaches you can take to manage stress levels so you can begin to build consistency, or to remain consistent with your fitness during wild times. All of the below I have employed when programming for clients during times of added stress:

Reduce the Workload

Some options here include: making workouts shorter, doing less workouts per week, using lighter weights, doing a lower number of reps or sets, reducing the intensity of workouts.

Hot tip: Commit to less, but commit nonetheless. Striving to do 5 workouts per week and missing even one can have much more detrimental impact on your motivation than committing to one or two and completing 100% of them. Get honest about what you currently have capacity for and make things easier on yourself by committing to what you are confident you can execute on. If fitness is a priority, I encourage you to commit to something you can do consistently, no matter how small.

Increase Rest Periods

This looks like: resting more frequently during workouts, taking more days off between workouts (see above point about less workouts/week), prioritizing sleep (ie. letting the to-do list go so you can get your butt to bed earlier).

Actively De-stress

Identify 1-3 things that you know help calm your nervous system. This doesn’t need to be a day at the spa, it can be as simple as: taking 10 deep breaths, listening to soothing or uplifting music, doing some light stretching, lighting a candle, taking a long shower, going for a walk with no phone or music and focusing on the sounds around you.

This time of year is a great opportunity to reset your priorities, try new things, and experiment with your calendar. Once you feel you have a baseline of consistency, you can start to add in an extra workout or two, focus on your nutrition etc. Take it one day at a time, one thing at a time.

I encourage you to try on one or two of these strategies, with full permission to do less! Take what you need and leave the rest :)

Sayonara September!

xo Sydney