Finding Your Flow: How to Adjust Routines That Aren’t Serving You

As we transition into September, reflecting on our routines is natural. Summer is behind us, schedules are shifting, and we may find that some habits we established no longer fit our current lives.

What’s working? What isn’t?

Just like the seasons change, our lives and schedules can shift too. Adjusting routines doesn’t mean failure; it means growth and self-awareness.

Pause and Reflect

Start by taking a moment to observe your daily patterns. Which routines give you energy and focus, and which leave you feeling drained? Journaling for 5–10 minutes can help you identify what truly serves you.

If writing isn’t your thing, even a simple mental check-in while sipping your morning coffee can reveal a lot about what’s adding value and what’s not.

Celebrate What Works

Not everything needs to change. Recognize the routines that bring stability, peace, or productivity. Keeping these practices consistent is key to building a foundation that supports mental wellness.

Maybe it’s your morning walk, Sunday meal prep, or the way you tidy up your space before bed. Protecting the routines that are nourishing you creates balance and ensures you don’t feel like you’re starting from scratch.

Let Go of What Doesn’t Serve You

Some habits or obligations might be weighing you down. This could be overcommitting, staying late at work unnecessarily, or neglecting self-care.

Give yourself permission to release them, shedding what doesn’t serve you makes room for what does.

Remember: saying no is also saying yes to rest, creativity, and your mental health.

Make Intentional Adjustments

Instead of overhauling everything at once, focus on small, intentional tweaks. Move a morning habit to a time that aligns better with your energy. Swap a draining task for a restorative one. Small shifts compound into meaningful change.

Examples to try:

• If long workouts feel impossible, try 15 minutes of stretching or walking.
  
• If evenings feel chaotic, set aside 10 minutes to prep for tomorrow.
  
• If you want less screen time, replace one scrolling session with reading or journaling.
  

Tiny adjustments add up—and you’ll feel the difference faster than you think.

Be Gentle with Yourself

Transitioning routines takes time. There will be days when adjustments don’t go as planned, and that’s okay. Practicing self-compassion ensures that your changes are sustainable, not stressful.

Progress doesn’t look like perfection; it looks like consistency over time. Missing a day doesn’t erase your growth; you’re experimenting, and experiments are meant to evolve.

Embrace the Season of Change

Finding your flow is about listening to yourself, noticing what’s working, and adjusting intentionally.

This fall, embrace the natural rhythm of change. Reflect on your habits. Allow yourself to grow into routines that truly serve your wellbeing. Small, mindful adjustments can make each day feel more aligned, calm, and fulfilling.

Think of September as a reset button, not just for your calendar, but for your mind and body. Just like the leaves shift colors, you too can shift into new patterns that feel fresh, life-giving, and aligned with where you’re headed.

Takeaway: Your routines don’t define you; you define them. As life changes, you have full permission to adapt, grow, and create rhythms that nurture the best version of you.

Reflection prompt for you: What’s one routine you’d like to carry forward this fall, and one you’re ready to let go of?