Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReflect on Your Summer BreakGive Your Mindset a MakeoverAim to Nurture Your Mental and Physical Well-BeingHow to Set Goals and Establish Routines That You Can Actually Stick ToOvercoming Challenges and Staying MotivatedNext in Beating the Summer Scaries GuideHow to Beat the End-of-Summer Blues

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Reflect on Your Summer Break

Give Your Mindset a Makeover

Aim to Nurture Your Mental and Physical Well-Being

How to Set Goals and Establish Routines That You Can Actually Stick To

Overcoming Challenges and Staying Motivated

Next in Beating the Summer Scaries Guide

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As you ease back into autumn, you may seek ways to reestablish some of your healthier habits.

Doing so doesn’t come without challenges, and it’s common to have questions and concerns about the best way to approach this transition.

We caught up with two therapists to offer insight, advice, and practical tips for establishing a healthy routine after a summer break that emphasizes realistic goals, practicing self-care, and being gentle with yourself as you ease back into the grind.

Experts in This ArticleClifton Berwise, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist, and member of the clinical content team atModern HealthJake Sparks, LMFT, a licensed therapist and treatment director forEmbark Behavioral Health,

Experts in This Article

Clifton Berwise, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist, and member of the clinical content team atModern HealthJake Sparks, LMFT, a licensed therapist and treatment director forEmbark Behavioral Health,

How to Take a Break from Work (and Why You Need To)

It’s common to deviate from your healthier routines over summer break, saysClifton Berwise, PhD,a licensed clinical psychologist and member of the clinical content team atModern Health. This may includechanges to sleep schedules, abandoning your regular exercise routine, or spending more money than usual.

However, Dr. Berwise emphasizes that although these habits aren’t the healthiest, you shouldn’t beat yourself up too much about adopting them.“Let’s be real: We could all use a break sometimes,” says Dr. Berswise. “However, when we start to sleep late absentmindedly or keep pushing things off till later, these behaviors can lead to increased distress.”

People Get Less Sleep During the Summer Months

Sleep, in particular, is one area where people start to seriously slack, saysJake Sparks, LMFT, a licensed therapist and treatment director forEmbark Behavioral Health, and it’s one that can impact both your physical and mental health.During summer break, it’s typical not to get enough sleep or not to get the best quality sleep. Sparks says people often stay up late in summer, staring at screens, which can impact naturalcircadian rhythmsand cause you to go to sleep too late.

Specifically, you may not get enough restorative sleep, according to Sparks. “We know that the most restorative sleep happens within the first four hours of sleep, usually [between] 11:00 p.m. [and] 3:00 a.m.,” Sparks explains. “So even if someone is getting the same overall amount of sleep, but not falling asleep till after 2:00 p.m. or 3:00 a.m., they are awake during the body’s naturally pre-programmed time for the most restorative sleep.”

How to Practice Sleep Syncing for Better Sleep and Energy

The first step in reviving healthy habits after a break is to update your mindset. This should be done withgratitudeand positivity when possible. But positivity doesn’t mean you aren’t realistic or strive for something unattainable. This also means that when adopting a“can do'' mindset, you try to lead withself-compassion.

When we are working on long-term habits or changes, we should strive for something we can do 70%-80% of the time so that there is less guilt during those times when we don’t meet the goal.—CLIFTON BERWISE, PHD

When we are working on long-term habits or changes, we should strive for something we can do 70%-80% of the time so that there is less guilt during those times when we don’t meet the goal.

—CLIFTON BERWISE, PHD

“A way to offer ourselves self-compassion stems from the belief and recognition that we are all ‘works in progress’ and no one is perfect,” says Dr. Berwise. “Additionally, when we are working on long-term habits or changes, we should strive for something we can do 70%-80% of the time so that there is lessguiltduring those times when we don’t meet the goal.”

Self-Compassion Makes Life More Manageable

Adding in somejournalingand mindfulness meditationcan be very helpful as well, Sparks suggests. Both of these activities have been shown to improve mental health, and they both have an important purpose—making you more aware of your feelings and emotions.

It’s Good to Feel Your Feelings“You don’t always have to talk about your feelings, but you do have to feel your feelings,” Sparks explains. “These practices can help you connect with and feel your emotions, ideally labeling the emotion, making it more tangible and easier to tolerate.”

It’s Good to Feel Your Feelings

“You don’t always have to talk about your feelings, but you do have to feel your feelings,” Sparks explains. “These practices can help you connect with and feel your emotions, ideally labeling the emotion, making it more tangible and easier to tolerate.”

Why You Should Keep a Stress Relief Journal

Reestablishing Physical Health

When it comes to reestablishing your physical health, Sparks’ biggest advice is to start small.

It can be super overwhelming to change everything all at once, and it’s unlikely that you will stick to your goals if you go from 0% to 100%. “Small behavior done consistently over a period of time will always be better than big changes that flare out,” Sparks says.

Here are some of Sparks’ tips for making these changes:

TikTok Put 60 Minute Daily Time Limits on People Under 18—Should We All Do It?

“The irony is, the best way to move through those emotions is with others,” Sparks says. As such, reconnecting with friends and other supportive people is an important part of reprioritizing your well-being.

Get an Accountability Partner

You may have heard that having an “accountability partner” is a great way to achieve healthy lifestyle goals. Interestingly, there is research to back this up.

A 2018 study found that people who were trying to become healthier through a weight management program were more likely to achieve their goals if they had an accountability partner.Having a gym partner, a friend who goes walking with you, or a friend who’s also trying tostop smokingor break another unhealthy habit can go a long way toward better health.

Reconnecting with friends and other supportive people is an important part of reprioritizing your well-being.

“I Can’t Do This Anymore:” What to Do If You Are Experiencing Burnout

If you are looking to make changes in your routines, Dr. Berwise emphasizes that you should make these changes gradually, and that you should strive for setting realistic goals. “One of the best ways to set realistic goals is to make sure they areSMART(specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound),” he explains. “They need to be something that you can track over time and are flexible enough to be adjusted as needed.”

How to Set Realistic GoalsHere are Dr. Berwise’s practical tips for establishing routines, managing time effectively, and incorporating healthy habits into daily life:Practice good sleep hygiene. One simple thing you can do is try to start waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day, including on weekends. “This will help reset your body’s circadian rhythm and help you recognize at what times of the day you are most productive,” he says.Make use of technology.Setting timers and reminderscan help with time boundaries. Give yourself at least a 10-minute break for every hour of focused activities. This can lead to greaterproductivitybecause your brain resets during these breaks. “I personally have a timer that goes off every day at 11:50 a.m. to remind me to get up and go for a walk,” Dr. Berwise shares. “It does wonders for my early afternoon productivity.”Get some alone time. Try to set aside an hour each day of time just for you. This might be a walk, reading a book, playing a game, or listening to a meditation—just make it something that you genuinely enjoy and want to do.Have a to-do list and prioritize it. Work on the highest prioritized things first. Break any big tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.

How to Set Realistic Goals

Here are Dr. Berwise’s practical tips for establishing routines, managing time effectively, and incorporating healthy habits into daily life:Practice good sleep hygiene. One simple thing you can do is try to start waking up and going to sleep at the same time each day, including on weekends. “This will help reset your body’s circadian rhythm and help you recognize at what times of the day you are most productive,” he says.Make use of technology.Setting timers and reminderscan help with time boundaries. Give yourself at least a 10-minute break for every hour of focused activities. This can lead to greaterproductivitybecause your brain resets during these breaks. “I personally have a timer that goes off every day at 11:50 a.m. to remind me to get up and go for a walk,” Dr. Berwise shares. “It does wonders for my early afternoon productivity.”Get some alone time. Try to set aside an hour each day of time just for you. This might be a walk, reading a book, playing a game, or listening to a meditation—just make it something that you genuinely enjoy and want to do.Have a to-do list and prioritize it. Work on the highest prioritized things first. Break any big tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.

Here are Dr. Berwise’s practical tips for establishing routines, managing time effectively, and incorporating healthy habits into daily life:

How Multitasking Affects Productivity and Brain Health

Setting out to lead a healthier lifestyle after a break is a wonderful goal, but it won’t come without challenges and obstacles. Moreover, staying healthy for the long haul can be really hard.

So many people start healthy routines and then slip back to less healthy ones. So the question is: How do you create long-term healthy habits?

Dr. Berwise offered his best advice for maintaining your goals over a long period:

What to Know About Mindfulness Meditation

What This Means For YouMaking the transition from the low-key days of summer to the fuller, more intense days of fall can be jarring. The change can be especially hard if you have adopted some less-healthy habits over the summer and you are aiming to change them once autumn rolls around.Remember to take adeep breath, start small, take things gradually, set realistic goals, and be gentle with yourself along the way.Keep in mind that attaining your goals doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect. It also doesn’t mean you have to do this alone. Connecting with like-minded friends or a mental health specialist can make this transition easier.Most importantly, remember that simply deciding you want to better yourself—and looking for information about how to do so—is a great first step!Finally, if you are finding that reaching your healthy living goals is feeling extra challenging, or you are experiencing feelings ofburnout, extreme stress, or mental health difficulties, it may be time to seekprofessional mental health help. Even just a few sessions with a therapist can help you get back on track.

What This Means For You

Making the transition from the low-key days of summer to the fuller, more intense days of fall can be jarring. The change can be especially hard if you have adopted some less-healthy habits over the summer and you are aiming to change them once autumn rolls around.Remember to take adeep breath, start small, take things gradually, set realistic goals, and be gentle with yourself along the way.Keep in mind that attaining your goals doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect. It also doesn’t mean you have to do this alone. Connecting with like-minded friends or a mental health specialist can make this transition easier.Most importantly, remember that simply deciding you want to better yourself—and looking for information about how to do so—is a great first step!Finally, if you are finding that reaching your healthy living goals is feeling extra challenging, or you are experiencing feelings ofburnout, extreme stress, or mental health difficulties, it may be time to seekprofessional mental health help. Even just a few sessions with a therapist can help you get back on track.

Making the transition from the low-key days of summer to the fuller, more intense days of fall can be jarring. The change can be especially hard if you have adopted some less-healthy habits over the summer and you are aiming to change them once autumn rolls around.

Remember to take adeep breath, start small, take things gradually, set realistic goals, and be gentle with yourself along the way.

Keep in mind that attaining your goals doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect. It also doesn’t mean you have to do this alone. Connecting with like-minded friends or a mental health specialist can make this transition easier.

Most importantly, remember that simply deciding you want to better yourself—and looking for information about how to do so—is a great first step!

Finally, if you are finding that reaching your healthy living goals is feeling extra challenging, or you are experiencing feelings ofburnout, extreme stress, or mental health difficulties, it may be time to seekprofessional mental health help. Even just a few sessions with a therapist can help you get back on track.

How to Beat the End-of-Summer Blues

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Wahl S, Engelhardt M, Schaupp P, et al.The inner clock-Blue light sets the human rhythm.Journal of Biophotonics. 2019;12(12):e201900102. doi:10.1002/jbio.201900102Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S.Physiology of Sleep. StatPearls Publishing.Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, et al.Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR Mental Health.2018;5(4):e11290. doi:10.2196/11290American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Dailey R, Romo L, Myer S, et al.The Buddy Benefit: Increasing the Effectiveness of an Employee-Targeted Weight-Loss Program.Journal of Health Communication.2018;23(3). doi:10.1080/10810730.2018.1436622American Psychological Association.Making lifestyle changes that last.

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Wahl S, Engelhardt M, Schaupp P, et al.The inner clock-Blue light sets the human rhythm.Journal of Biophotonics. 2019;12(12):e201900102. doi:10.1002/jbio.201900102Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S.Physiology of Sleep. StatPearls Publishing.Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, et al.Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR Mental Health.2018;5(4):e11290. doi:10.2196/11290American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Dailey R, Romo L, Myer S, et al.The Buddy Benefit: Increasing the Effectiveness of an Employee-Targeted Weight-Loss Program.Journal of Health Communication.2018;23(3). doi:10.1080/10810730.2018.1436622American Psychological Association.Making lifestyle changes that last.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556Wahl S, Engelhardt M, Schaupp P, et al.The inner clock-Blue light sets the human rhythm.Journal of Biophotonics. 2019;12(12):e201900102. doi:10.1002/jbio.201900102Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S.Physiology of Sleep. StatPearls Publishing.Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, et al.Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR Mental Health.2018;5(4):e11290. doi:10.2196/11290American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.Dailey R, Romo L, Myer S, et al.The Buddy Benefit: Increasing the Effectiveness of an Employee-Targeted Weight-Loss Program.Journal of Health Communication.2018;23(3). doi:10.1080/10810730.2018.1436622American Psychological Association.Making lifestyle changes that last.

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556

Scott AJ, Webb TL, Martyn-St James M, et al.Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021;60:101556. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556

Wahl S, Engelhardt M, Schaupp P, et al.The inner clock-Blue light sets the human rhythm.Journal of Biophotonics. 2019;12(12):e201900102. doi:10.1002/jbio.201900102

Brinkman JE, Reddy V, Sharma S.Physiology of Sleep. StatPearls Publishing.

Smyth JM, Johnson JA, Auer BJ, et al.Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR Mental Health.2018;5(4):e11290. doi:10.2196/11290

American Psychological Association.Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress.

Dailey R, Romo L, Myer S, et al.The Buddy Benefit: Increasing the Effectiveness of an Employee-Targeted Weight-Loss Program.Journal of Health Communication.2018;23(3). doi:10.1080/10810730.2018.1436622

American Psychological Association.Making lifestyle changes that last.

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