The August Reset: 5 Simple Systems to Make the School Year Smoother

August has always been a bittersweet month.

Full of long summer days, but also that little nagging voice at the back of your mind reminding you that September is right around the corner.

Back to routines, school, and also new beginnings. And that’s what September has always been for me. I feel like it signifies a new year more than January 1st ever has.

And as someone with ADHD does when new beginnings are around the corner, we plan and we create systems. Things that will help the school year run smoothly.

I encourage you to do the same. Now, perhaps my new routines and systems won’t work for you, but I’ll give you some ideas.

1) Create a lunch schedule This one has been a game changer for our family. We split the preparation of lunches and set a schedule. I handle lunches on Sundays and Mondays, and my husband handles them the rest of the week. The only catch? Lunches have to be made the day before to avoid the hustle and chaos the next morning.

2) Set a 20-minute timer at the end of the night as a closing shift Spend 20 minutes cleaning and organizing as much as you can. It’s truly amazing how much of a difference focusing for just 20 minutes can make and how much smoother it can make the next day.

3) On Sundays, talk to your partner about the upcoming week Do a little check-in and see what sports, events, or anything significant is on the calendar. Being aware of the family schedule avoids any major surprises.

4) Meal plan And don’t make it complicated. Taco Tuesdays, pizza on Fridays, new recipe Saturdays if you want to be exciting. Having a meal plan takes away the stress of deciding what’s for dinner every night. It also helps avoid expensive takeout.

5) Here’s one that saves me so much sanity during the day Before the start of a new season, I make a picture chart of everything the kids have to do or pack for the day. Even though I still have to remind them to check it every day before we leave, it avoids me reminding them to bring a water bottle every single day.

Bonus point: if they forget the water bottle, don’t bring them a new one. They have to learn to stand on their own two feet.

These tips may not work for you, but they’re a good starting point. I want you to think back to the last year and reflect on the pain points you experienced during the school year. Now think about what systems you can implement to help avoid those challenges.

Any small changes you make can have a positive impact on your day and your overall attitude.

Of course, don’t let this take away from the last few precious weeks of summer, but it’s not a bad idea to plan ahead.

-Talia

Follow Talia on Instagram @talia.hreljac25